John Worboys: Parole Board chief to be summoned before MPs to explain decision to free rapist

Professor Nick Hardwick admits ‘lack of transparency’ in system after outcry over decision to release serial sex attacker

John Worboys may have attacked more than 100 women, police say (PA)

The chairman of the Parole Board is to be summoned before MPs to explain how the decision to free serial sex attacker John Worboys was reached.

Professor Nick Hardwick will also be questioned by the House of Commons Justice Committee about why some of the rapist’s victims were not informed of his imminent release, a failure for which he has “unreservedly” apologised.

Amid criticisms of the decision, Prof Hardwick admitted he recognises there is a “lack of transparency” in the parole system’s processes and will be launching a public consultation.

London cabbie Worboys, a former stripper and adult film star, was jailed indefinitely in 2009 with a minimum term of eight years, for drugging and sexually assaulting women passengers.

Chairman of the committee, Conservative MP Bob Neill, said: “What has happened here is very disturbing. It is vital that the public has confidence in Parole Board decisions.”

He added: “We will also want to ask about how the parole system can be made much more transparent, something Nick Hardwick himself has rightly called for.

“In my view, it is ridiculous that the current rules prevent the board making public the reasons for their decisions. Professor Hardwick has called for MPs to back ‘opening the process up’ and we will give him the opportunity to make precisely that case.”

Yvette Cooper, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, had said she was “really shocked” by the decision to allow Worboys’ release and urged the Parole Board to “publish their reasons immediately”.

Worboys, alleged to have attacked more than 100 women, was told to expect a “very substantial term of imprisonment” after being convicted of drugging and sexually assaulting 12 victims and raping one woman in 2009.

The Parole Board’s decision to allow his release sparked an outcry from charities and support groups when it was made public on Thursday. Charity campaigners have called the time served by the 60-year-old “woefully short” and said his release “beggars belief”.

There have also been calls for an investigation into why at least two victims were not informed about Worboys’ impending release.

Ms Cooper described Worboys’ crimes as “the most appalling and vile” and said there were “serious questions” about the Parole Board’s decision.

“Given the seriousness of this case, the Parole Board should publish their reasons immediately so both the decision and the process can be scrutinised before this man is released,” the Labour MP added.

“We also need to know what information and support was given to all the victims before this decision was taken.”

Professor Nick Hardwick, chair of the Parole Board (PA)

In a statement, Prof Hardwick said the Parole Board “currently have a statutory duty” under its rules which “prevents disclosure of proceedings” and that he has “recently set out options for change”.

“We will shortly be launching a public consultation about how we share our decision-making with the public,” he added.

“I am very concerned some victims were not told about the decision; this must have been very distressing.

“There should be robust arrangements in place for victims to be informed through the victim contact scheme.

“We were told that had been done as usual in this case and released the decision on that basis.”

Ms Cooper’s intervention raises the prospect that senior members of the Parole Board could be hauled before MPs to be grilled over the decision.

In a statement on Thursday, the board – which is independent of, but sponsored by, the Ministry of Justice – said: “We can confirm that a three-member panel of the Parole Board has directed the release of Mr John Worboys, following an oral hearing.

“The arrangements for Mr Worboys’ release will be managed by the Ministry of Justice.”

Conservative MP Anna Soubry tweeted: “We are placing huge trust in Parole Board assessments... I’m v surprised that Worboys has been released on basis he’s no longer a risk to women. Parole Board is notoriously ‘risk averse’.”

Lawyer Harriet Wistrich said two victims had not been informed of the decision to release Worboys.

She told Channel 4 News the first they learned of his planned release was while “listening on the radio, cooking tea for the kids”.

She added: “They’ve both said they’re absolutely sick and disgusted and shocked to the core about it.”

It is understood all those who were signed up to a victim contact scheme were informed as soon as the Parole Board decision was made.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “These were truly horrendous crimes and our thoughts are with the victims for the pain and suffering they have endured.

“In traumatic and distressing cases like this, it is right that victims decide whether and how they want to be kept updated.

“Some victims in this case chose not to be updated. Others chose to be informed by phone or email and were contacted immediately; others chose to be informed by letters which were sent straight away, but of course take longer.

“Our priority is to support victims and it is right that we respect their decisions about how they are contacted.”

However, Labour MP Stella Creasy called on Justice Secretary David Lidington to investigate the alleged failure to notify victims.

She wrote on Twitter: “If true that no notice of parole hearing given to the 100 victims then no chance to have their voices heard = no justice. Hope @DLidington will investigate if this is the case and show VAWG [violence against women and girls] a priority across Government.”

Worboys, who became known as the “black cab rapist”, was found guilty of 19 charges of drugging and sexually assaulting 12 women passengers, in one case raping a woman.

But police said in 2010 that his alleged victims numbered 102 after more people came forward following his trial and conviction.

The allegations were investigated but no further action was taken on the advice of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), police said.

The Independent understands that 19 allegations that emerged following Warboys’ conviction were investigated by Scotland Yard but dropped with no further action on advice from the CPS.

Sir Keir Starmer, who was then director of public prosecutions, has been urged to explain why further allegations against Worboys were not looked into.

Conservative MP Priti Patel told the Daily Mail: “There are serious questions to answer as to why this was not taken further, why he failed to look into the allegations and why he failed to act.”

Sir Keir, now Labour’s Shadow Brexit Secretary, has declined to comment. It is not yet known if he was directly involved in the CPS’s decision not to pursue further allegations.

At the time, a police spokesperson said: “The difficulty is that a large number of the women do not know whether they were raped or not.

“The only person who knows is Worboys himself. We hope he might consider telling us in the future what went on.”

Meanwhile Worboys’ ex-wife, Jean Clayton, said he should “never be let out”.

Jean Clayton, who was married to him between 1991 and 1995, told The Sun she felt “utter disgust” at his release.

“If he hadn’t been caught and taken to court he would have murdered somebody,” she added. “It’s very scary. He was the biggest mistake of my life.”