The sex attacker, seen in public for the first time since he was convicted in 2009, appeared grey and haggard as he sat in a caged dock of the Royal Courts of Justice
The chairman of the Parole Board has outlined radical proposals to make the reasoning behind its decision public in the wake of outrage over John Worboys.
Two of the black cab rapist’s victims were forced to launch a bid for a judicial review after the Parole Board refused to divulge why it had decided to free the sex attacker.
The victim’s lawyer today said that part of their challenge is that the rule preventing the Parole Board from telling the public any of the reasons for its decision ‘is itself unlawful’.
Professor Nick Hardwick called it ‘undignified’ that two women had to make an online appeal to raise funds for the judicial review and hoped to make it easier for the public to challenge the decisions of the Parole Board in future.
Speaking to the Commons Justice Committee, he said there should be a multi-stage review mechanism before resorting to judicial review.
He said: ‘It seems to me that it’s undignified that people have to go and crowdsource to fund a review. I don’t think that’s an acceptable situation.’
Mr Hardwick told MPs there could be a system similar to the scheme where members of the public can complain to the Attorney General about unduly lenient jail sentences.
Professor Nick Hardwick (pictured) has outlined radical proposals to make the reasoning behind its decision public in the wake of outrage over John Worboys
Black taxi rapist John Worboys came face to face with two of his victims in court today as they challenged the decision to allow him to be released from prison
When Sir Brian Leveson said he was ‘minded’ to agree to a judicial review, Worboys (pictured) – now known as John Radford – nodded and replied: ‘That’s fine’
Under current rules the Parole Board is barred from releasing the reasons for its decisions, but the chairman wants information published about a wide range of cases, particularly for victims.
This could be those where oral hearings take place – currently a third of cases.
Mr Hardwick said: ‘One of the things we should look at is victims, who want to get one, getting a summary of the parole board’s decisions. I certainly think they should know more about licence conditions.
‘The presumption should be that we tell victims as much as we can.’
He added: ‘It should be possible to provide some statements publicly about the reasons for a decision.’
The Parole Board chief favours publishing an online register of cases so that any member of the public can track developments.
Chief Inspector of Probation Dame Glenys Stacey (pictured) was asked by the Government to carry out an urgent review of the ‘victim contact scheme’ last month
The prison van containing Black cab rapist John Worboys leaves the Royal Courts of Justice as he makes his way back to HMP Wakefield
Justice Secretary David Lidington has ordered a review of the transparency of the board’s decisions and said planned changes could be laid out by Easter.
Today, Worboys was dragged to the High Court as two of his victims launched their legal fight to stop the 60-year-old’s impending release from prison.
Worboys, who sat emotionless in a caged dock at the Royal Courts of Justice, looked over to the victim occasionally as the judges ruled to allow a judicial review into the Parole Board’s decision to set him free.
Despite being ‘very, very scared’ at the prospect of being in the same courtroom as her attacker, the victim told her lawyer that she ‘refused to be frightened’.
Meanwhile, Worboys was informed that a temporary order would see him remain behind bars until the review into why he was set for release was heard.
A two-day hearing will be held on March 13 to determine whether or not the Parole Board made an ‘irrational’ and illegal decision to free the predator.
John Worboys is led into a prison van following an appearance the Royal Courts of Justice in London