Fresh sex assault claim against black cab rapist John Worboys

A fresh allegation of historical sexual assault has been made against black cab rapist John Worboys, it is understood.

The incident, which was reported to the police earlier this month, is reported to have taken place in 1997.

Scotland Yard is now investigating the claim against the 60-year-old, who has not been arrested.

Worboys, a former black cab driver, was jailed indefinitely in 2009 with a minimum term of eight years for drugging and sexually assaulting female passengers.

He was convicted of 19 offences relating to 12 victims, but has been linked to more than 100 complaints in total.

A controversial Parole Board decision to approve his release later this month, following his minimum eight-year term, has led to a moral outcry - with lawyers for his victims describing the move as "extremely distressing".

Over the weekend, Worboys was reportedly transferred from HMP Wakefield in West Yorkshire to HMP Belmarsh in southeast London - prompting outrage from MPs.

Justice Secretary David Gauke is facing demands for Worboys to be kept out of the capital - the area in which he preyed on his victims.

Tory MP Zac Goldsmith told the minister that Worboys' proposed release "has absolutely horrified and terrified his many, many victims".

Labour MP Neil Coyle told the House of Commons that Worboys "is not welcome back" to his home in Rotherhithe, south London, in the MP's constituency.

"He has not served the sentence he was given and was not prosecuted for the vast majority of his crimes," he said.

Mr Gauke said he had stressed to officials "the need to ensure that the concerns of victims are at the heart of the process" in deciding Worboys' licence conditions.

He also pressed the need for the "most stringent" conditions to be placed on Worboys' release.

A source told Sky News it would be "completely untrue" to suggest Worboys will be released imminently.

Upon release, Worboys would be expected to spend several months in a probation hostel, which would be staffed 24 hours a day and impose a night-time curfew.

Last week, Mr Gauke revealed the Government will not be seeking a judicial review of the decision to release Worboys.

Lawyers for two victims have said they intend to pursue the case in the courts.

Commenting on reports of Worboys' prison transfer, Richard Scorer, a lawyer at Slater and Gordon, which represented a number of his victims, said: "This is extremely distressing for our clients as yet again they have not been informed about developments in the Worboys case.

"It is an insult that they have had to find out from the media of every new development in this case and it is crucial that they are kept updated."

The Ministry of Justice said they do not comment on individual cases.