Lags’ parole hearings to be heard in public for first time in Sun victory

DANGEROUS lags hoping to be freed from prison will have their parole hearings heard in public for the first time from next month.

Ministers are opening up the previously secretive meetings after The Sun campaigned for more scrutiny.

The new laws being laid before parliament today will come into force in July.

Victims, family members and the Press will be able to observe proceedings.

But the board will still get the final say over who can attend.

Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said: “We are making proceedings more transparent. This is the first step in our reforms.

“We are overhauling the system, to make sure public protection is the overriding the priority.”

Our campaign was launched after black cab rapist John Worboys was nearly freed after nine years when the parole board deemed him no longer a threat to women.

He later admitted four new sex attacks and was jailed or life, again in 2019.