Advertisement

Keir Starmer under fire over why 'black cab rapist' John Worboys was not charged with dozens more sex crimes

Labour’s Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer is under growing pressure to explain why serial sex attacker John Worboys was not prosecuted over more dozens more sex attacks.

The outcry comes after the parole board sanctioned Worboys’ ‘imminent release’ from jail.

The decision has sparked fury in some quarters – especially on social media where many have voiced concern over the decision not to prosecute Worboys further and questioned why Starmer, who was Director of Public Prosecutions at the time of the conviction, did not seek further legal action.

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.

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.

John Worboys (left) and Sir Keir Starmer (PA)
John Worboys (left) and Sir Keir Starmer (PA)

Sir Keir has urged any alleged victims with concerns about how their case was handled to contact the police.

Speaking outside his home in north London, Sir Keir, now the shadow Brexit secretary, said: ‘First and foremost, it’s very important that if there are any allegations that anybody thinks have not been looked into, sufficiently or at all, they go to the police and make those allegations so they can be looked into.

‘The second important thing is that it’s really important that what’s said is factually accurate.

‘As you know, the Crown Prosecution Service holds the file on this case, they made the decisions in the case, and it is really important you go to them to get an accurate read-out of the decisions that have been made.’

Asked whether he thought the right decision was made by prosecutors not to pursue further allegations against the serial sex attacker, he added: ‘I think these decisions were nine years ago and it’s very important you go to the Crown Prosecution Service and get an accurate read-out of the decisions that were made, particularly if further allegations have been made now.’

Most popular on Yahoo News UK

Ex-wife of ‘black cab rapist’ John Worboys ‘disgusted’ over prison release
£50,000 worth of donations to ‘homeless hero’ thief Chris Parker to be returned
This is how Donald Trump’s extraordinary comb-over actually works
Warning over Facebook Messenger video ‘which hijacks PCs to mine cryptocurrency’
Drunk shoplifter who sued police for being Tasered during his arrest loses ‘excessive force’ case

Serial sex offender John Worboys (Rex)
Serial sex offender John Worboys (Rex)

The row threatens to turn political.

Former Conservative Cabinet minister Priti Patel said Sir Keir had ‘serious questions to answer’ over the case.

There are also questions over why he received only eight years’ sentence in the first place and criticism of Baroness Scotland, who was labour’s Attorney General at the time Worboys’ case went to court.

Many have taken to Twitter to question why Sir Keir did not seek further convictions – including a former senior policeman.

(Twitter/@colinsutton)

Others argued that Sir Keir had serious questions to answer about his conduct over the case.

(Twitter/@freespirited_p)

But it is not just Sir Keir who has received criticism.

Others have also pointed to the fact that Prime Minister Theresa May was the Home Secretary at the time of the case.

And Yvette Cooper, chairwoman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, who said the Parole Board should immediately publish its reasons for allowing the release of Worboys.

Cooper, a Labour colleague of Sir Keir’s as among those who took to Twitter to express her disgust with the case.

She messaged that she was ‘really shocked’ by the move and called for scrutiny of the Parole Board’s reasoning before the prolific sex attacker is let out of jail.

(Twitter/@YvetteCooperMP)

Also voicing concern is the chairman of the Parole Board.

Professor Nick Hardwick has said he is ‘very concerned’ that the victims of Worboys were not told of his imminent release.

He added that he recognises there is a ‘lack of transparency’ in Parole Board processes and will be launching a public consultation.

Yvonne Traynor, of Rape Crisis South London, said: ‘It feels far too soon for this dangerous and manipulative perpetrator to be released into the public having served this woefully short time in prison.

She added: ‘The women he raped will never be totally free from his despicable actions.’