Met Police urges Worboys victims to come forward

The Metropolitan Police has said anyone who believes they may have been a victim of serial rapist John Worboys should contact them.

Worboys is serving a life sentence for sexual offences he committed by luring women into his taxi late at night, pretending to have won money and offering drinks he had laced with drugs.

He was jailed in 2009 after being convicted of 19 sex offences against 12 women. In 2019 he was sentenced to life with a minimum term of six years after more victims came forward. The exact number of victims is expected to be much higher.

"If you believe you may have been a victim or have any information about Worboys, we urge you to please contact us," a Met spokesperson said.

"We promise that you will be supported and listened to."

The Met's appeal comes after the screening of a four-part ITV drama, Believe Me, which tells the story of one of Britain's most prolific sex attackers and how the victims were failed by the Metropolitan Police.

The Met said it had apologised for "serious failings" in the investigation into his crimes.

Worboys' 2009 conviction was for offences linked to attacks on 12 women between October 2006 and February 2008.

The 2019 conviction was the result of more victims coming forward about crimes he admitted to that took place between 2000 and 2008.

The victims contacted the police following publicity around a parole board panel decision that he had been ready for release that was ultimately overturned after a legal challenge by two of his victims.

It is thought there are more victims - a 2019 report from his prison psychologist referred to Worboys accepting that he preyed on 90 individuals.

The Met spokesperson added: "Our thoughts remain with the victims and survivors of the horrific crimes committed by John Worboys.

"We have previously apologised for the serious failings in the investigation, and the distress caused to all those affected.

"This case led to significant improvements in the way rape and sexual offences are investigated, and recent figures show that arrests and charges for rape offences have more than doubled over the last year in London."

Earlier this month the parole board said the 68-year-old would not be released as he continued to "represent a high risk of committing further serious sexual offences upon women".

Worboys, now known as John Radford, "accepts that he does not currently meet the test for release".

The board said he claimed to feel "enormous regret, remorse and shame" towards "the women he has harmed and their families and friends".

Carrie Johnson, who previously waived her right to anonymity to reveal she may have been a victim of Worboys, welcomed the parole board's decision.

"The relief I feel knowing that he will remain behind bars is hard to put into words," the wife of former prime minister Boris Johnson wrote on X.

"Women and girls across Britain are safer as a result of this decision."

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