Rapist cabbie John Worboys’ victim Carrie Symonds says parole official MUST be named so public can see justice done
Carrie Symonds called for the rules to be changed so Parole Board members are accountable
A VICTIM of black cab rapist John Worboys today demanded the Justice Secretary rip up the rules so Parole Board members are named.
Carrie Symonds – who at 19 was one of the attacker’s youngest victims – said the board had to be “accountable to the people they serve”.
It came after David Gauke risked fresh anger by saying it would be wrong to name panel members – despite last year’s astonishing decision to release Worboys.
A fresh review ordered by High Court judges this week declared he should instead be kept behind bars as he still believes rape is “acceptable”.
Mr Gauke today insisted the Parole Board was an “administrative” function and the Government had to think of panel members’ security.
But Ms Symonds stormed: “If we name our magistrates and judges who send people to jail, what is the point of concealing the names of Parole Board panel members who decide whether to release them or not?
“Everyone in public life receives abuse. Why is the Parole Board unique in deserving anonymity?”
She added: “The Parole Board should be accountable to the people they serve.
“We still don’t know was on the original Parole Board panel and why they made the terrible mistake to release John Worboys.
The Sun Says
WITH every utterance, Justice Secretary David Gauke makes his Government’s shambolic stance over the John Worboys parole scandal worse.
There is no case for panel members remaining anonymous. And to dismiss their role as “administrative” is crass.
We still don’t know who decided to free the rapist, nor who rightly overturned that judgement. But we should.
Parole panels often make rulings with life-or-death implications for the public. They must be as accountable and identifiable as any judge.
Mr Gauke is normally one of the Government’s most unflappable performers. But, after first cravenly bottling out of a judicial review over Warboys’ parole, he is now championing secrecy.
When in a hole, Mr Gauke, stop digging.
“I don’t want them vilified but I want to be reassured this won’t happen again.”
Worboys was jailed indefinitely in 2009 with a minimum term of eight years after being convicted of 19 offences against 12 victims.
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Following his conviction, police said 100 women could have been attacked in London. He now faces at least another two years in jail.
Asked yesterday if Worboys should stay in jail for the rest of his life, Mr Gauke said it was a decision for the Parole Board.
He added: “He has clearly committed very serious crimes and if there’s evidence that he is a continued risk, as appears to be the case here, then clearly he is someone who should not be freed.”
Public has a right to know who makes parole decisions, Worboys victim says
By Carrie Symonds
WE need to know who is on Parole Board panels.
If we name our Magistrates and Judges who send people to jail, what is the point of concealing the names of Parole Board panel members who decide whether to release them or not?
Parole Board Members need to be able to do their jobs in a safe environment but if they are subject to threats or abuse, then that is rightly a matter for the police to deal with - but a fear of it cannot be used to stop the public’s right to know who makes decisions on their behalf.
Everyone in public life receives abuse. Why is the Parole Board unique in deserving anonymity?
The Parole Board should be accountable to the people they serve. We still don’t know who was on the original Parole Board panel and why they made the terrible mistake to release John Worboys.
I don’t want them vilified but I want to be reassured this won’t happen again.
Without the victims intervening, their mistakes could have led to more women being raped.
There is a real opportunity now to change things for the better and restore people’s confidence in the justice system.
Too often it feels like everything is stacked against the victim. That’s certainly how I felt.