Victims could be given right to appeal against decisions to release violent criminals in wake of John Worboys case

Victims could be given a right to launch a formal appeal against decisions to release violent criminals from prison, in the wake of the John Worboys case, The Sunday Telegraph can disclose.

David Gauke, the Justice Secretary, has ordered an official review to examine whether an "appeal procedure" should be introduced to allow formal challenges to decisions taken by the Parole Board.

Ministry of Justice officials suggested that the current rules contrasted with other areas of the justice system, which include "avenues of appeal to challenge decisions."

Currently the only legal recourse against a Parole Board decision is a costly judicial review, under which a judge could rule that the body should reconsider a decision.

Such legal action also leaves victims open to financial ruin as they are required to pay the other side’s costs if they lose.

The terms of reference of an official review, prompted by the outcry over the Worboys case, were expanded on Friday to include a consideration of whether there should be a formal mechanism "to allow parole decisions to be reconsidered."

Last night a Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “It’s clear that at every stage of the justice system there are avenues of appeal to challenge decisions.

“While not questioning the independence of the Parole Board, it is right that we look at an appeal procedure for their decisions.”

The disclosure comes after Mr Gauke was branded “spineless” by a former Tory minister after after announcing that he would not be pursuing a judicial review of the board's decision, following legal advice on the cases's chances of success.

Several cabinet ministers are understood to have privately expressed frustration about the decision not to press ahead regardless of the advice, in order to help maintain public confidence in the justice system.

A review was already underway into the transparency of the board's decision-making and its interaction with victims, after it emerged that several victims had not been informed about the board's decision, or had their views taken into account.

Now the review has been expanded to examine "the law, policy, guidance and practice relating to challenges to Parole Board decision-making, specifically whether there should be a mechanism to allow parole decisions to be reconsidered."

Worboys was given an indeterminate sentence in 2009 and ordered to serve a minimum eight years in jail for the rape, sexual assault and drugging of 12 victims across 19 different offences.

Police believe he committed more than 100 rapes and sexual assaults while working as a London taxi driver – but only a sample could be brought to trial.

Victims were led to believe Worboys would never be allowed out, only for the Parole Board to conclude at the end of last year that, at the age of 60 and having undergone a sex offenders’ treatment course, he no longer posed a danger to the public.

Rachel Krys, co-director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, is supporting two of Worboys’ victims, DSD and NBV, to raise funds through an internet appeal to launch a judicial review of the Parole Board’s decision.

On Saturday the appeal, on the CrowdJustice website, had raised more than £40,000 of the £50,000 sought. Ms Krys said this is the “only legal avenue” available for victims to seek recourse under current laws, adding: “The whole system is opaque.”

Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, has also instructed lawyers to launch his own legal bid to overturn the Parole Board decision.