Cops and CPS axed more sex raps against black cab rapist John Worboys because eight-year sentence was ‘adequate’
Bombshell report reveals blunders in investigations and that the CPS, then led by Labour's Keir Starmer, did not think further charges would be 'in the public interest'.
COPS and prosecutors did not want to pin more sex attacks on vile John Worboys as they thought his eight-year term was “adequate”.
A bombshell report on blunders during the investigation into the black cab rapist revealed top brass responsible for the case thought the job was done when he was given life with eight years as a minimum term.
The Sun can reveal that the CPS, then led by Labour’s shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer, did not think it was in the “public interest” to try to press more charges.
Prosecutors managed to get him convicted of only one rape, despite detectives fearing he could be behind 200 attacks.
They also chose not to prosecute him after 19 women came forward after his conviction.
Prosecutors also slimmed down the charge sheet so they would not “overload” the jury.
The decision to reduce the charges allowed the trial judge to impose the sentence from which Worboys, 60, is set to be freed in weeks after a parole board ordered his release.
In a report into police blunders seen by The Sun, the CPS said his conviction “properly reflected his criminality and enabled a Trial Judge to impose a sentence which adequately protected the public”.
Yesterday Richard Scorer of Slater and Gordon, who represents many of Worboys’ victims, said: “There’s some suggestion Keir Starmer thought that, because he was given an indeterminate sentence, he’d be in a long time and it wasn’t necessary to prosecute further.
“If that was the thinking, it was obviously wrong.”
Last night Sir Keir said he had nothing to do with the decision not to prosecute.
He said: “I welcome the decision by the Justice Select Committee to review how the parole board reached its decision. It is vital the public and victims of crime have the utmost confidence in the justice system.”
But Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg said: “Sir Keir Starmer ought to explain why he decided against further charges.”
Before Worboys’ 2009 trial at Croydon crown court, CPS lawyer Tony Connell was responsible for charging decisions and prosecution strategy.
A police report says: “He was intent on ensuring the indictment was not overloaded and the case as simple as it could be to present to a jury.”
Asked about his decision last night Mr Connell said: “You’ll need to go to the CPS. I can’t remember. It was years ago."
Night Stalker got 28 years... so should he
By Former Detective Chief Inspector Colin Sutton
THE victims of serial black cab rapist John Worboys have been failed by the Crown Prosecution Service.
His release from prison less than nine years after conviction has left serious questions to be answered.
I led the investigations which resulted in triple murderer Levi Bellfield being given a whole life tariff and Night Stalker rapist Delroy Grant being jailed for 28 years.
There were similarities in these cases, with all three suspected of committing huge numbers of crimes.
London cabbie Worboys was reportedly responsible for more than 200 rapes, indecent assaults and bids to drug women.
Yet he was only ever charged with attacks on 12 women following his arrest in 2008.
This meant he escaped with an indefinite sentence and a recommendation he serve a minimum of just eight years.
In the Bellfield and Grant cases, we had evidence of scores of offences.
I discussed with the CPS how many they would be charged with because the thought of them being freed later was, frankly, an appalling one.
In Bellfield’s case we knew that, if he were convicted, it was almost certain he would incur a whole-life sentence.
With Delroy Grant,the length of time which had elapsed since many of his offences meant he would not get a whole-life term.
Here, we had a man we suspected of more than 100 offences, nearly 30 of which we could readily prove.
If the judge were to have all the information and pass a sentence which would protect the public then we needed to charge him with everything we could.
By robustly putting this case to the CPS they were persuaded to agree, despite the increased cost and complication.
Grant was jailed for at least 28 years, which meant he would be over 80 before he could apply for parole.
Why so few of John Worboys’ offences were prosecuted is a question only the CPS can answer.
A year after conviction, a police review of the case concluded he had carried out more than 100 offences.
The true number was supposedly double that.
When 83 potential ‘new’ victims came forward before the Worboys trial there were 26 who picked him out on ID parades.
Even if their accounts were hazy, they would have stood a good chance of convicting him on the same indictment because of cross-admissibility.
But the CPS lawyer didn’t think it was necessary.
The question is whether that decision was based on evidential grounds or because they wanted to save money.
This is not what we expect of our justice system and we want to know why it happened.
Timeline of Met errors
2007: John Worboys is arrested for alleged sex offences. But he is freed because specialist Met Police teams are understaffed and overstretched.
Detectives fail to search his house, where he hid a rape kit of champagne bottles, gloves, condoms and a torch. It is finally found in a later raid.
2008: The former stripper and amateur porn star is arrested again. This time charges are brought.
2009: Croydon crown court in Surrey convicts him of one rape, five sex assaults, one assault bid and 12 drugging charges.
Worboys receives an indeterminate prison term for the public’s protection and told he must serve at least eight years before being eligible for parole.
2010: Met Police reveals it has received 102 more complaints from women.
Detectives now fear the beast may have drugged and attacked more than 200 female passengers.
2014: Two victims get damages from the Met after a High Court judge rules that failings in their probe — which saw cops disbelieve them — breached human rights.
2015: Worboys loses first parole bid. Met also fails in appeal against 2014 High Court ruling.
2017: Met and Home Office challenge damages ruling at the Supreme Court. Judgment is still being awaited.
Warboys launches second bid for parole.
JAN 3, 2018: Parole board orders his release.