Taxi driver John Worboys was jailed for raping and sexually assaulting passengers in 2009
A police force splashed out more than £1million fighting compensation claims from two victims of Black Cab rapist John Worboys.
The women were awarded a share of just £41,250 after the High Court ruled in 2013 that the Metropolitan Police had bungled their investigation.
But the force took the case in the Court of Appeal, which again ruled in the victim’s favour in 2015.
It then took the case to the Supreme Court, which last week also backed the women, known only as DSD and NBV.
Now Freedom of Information figures have revealed that the Met spent £946,727 in legal costs fighting the case, the Sun reported.
But the figure is likely to be much more because it doesn’t take into account the costs of Met’s lawyers and staff time.
Met Deputy Commissioner Sir Craig Mackey said after last week’s verdict: ‘We’ve accepted serious mistakes were made.’
Worboys, known as the ‘black cab rapist’, was convicted in 2009 of drugging and sexually assaulting 12 female passengers and jailed indefinitely with a minimum term of eight years.
The black cab belonging to John Worboys that he used to pick up his victims in the West End and Chelsea
But police believe he carried out more than 100 rapes and sex attacks.
DSD – the rapist’s first known victim – made a complaint to Scotland Yard in 2003.
But reception staff failed to record relevant names, addresses and vehicle details, the Supreme Court heard.
Officers also failed to interview a key witness and did not collect CCTV footage.
NBV contacted police after she was attacked in July 2007. Worboys was arrested as a suspect but released without charge.
The former porn actor and stripper attacked numerous women during a five year period between 2002 and 2008.
Many of his victims were young women who had been drinking in trendy night spots in the West End and Chelsea.
After his arrest in 2008 police also found a ‘rape kit’ in the back of his taxi which including sleeping tablets, condoms, gloves and an ashtray he used to crush the drugs.
Worboys arrives at Sutton Magistrates Court ahead of a preliminary hearing into his rape trial in 2009 (left) and the ‘rape kit’ he used to drug his victims (right)
Last month fury erupted after the Parole Board decided the 60-year-old rapist should be freed after spending just 10 years behind bars.
Ministers later dropped an attempt to block his release.
Police are now facing a flood of legal claims following the landmark Supreme Court ruling.
It means that any police force that bungles an inquiry into a violent of sexual crime risks being sued on human rights grounds.
Legal experts said the judgement could open the floodgates for legal action by other victims of serious attacks.
DSD said after last weeks ruling: ‘It has been an emotional day. Fifteen years.’ And she told police: ‘Had you done your job properly, there wouldn’t be 105 victims, there would be one. I can take the one. I can’t take the 105.’
Her lawyer Harriet Wistrich said: ‘It’s a very, very important judgment – very important for vindicating the rights of my two clients but also for the other victims.’