Met Police urges Worboys victims to come forward

The Metropolitan Police urged anyone who believes they may have been a victim of serial rapist John Worboys, or who has information, to contact them. Worboys is serving a life sentence for sexual offences committed by luring women into his taxi late at night, pretending to have won money, and offering drinks he had drugged. He was jailed in 2009 after convictions for 19 sex offences against 12 women, and in 2019 received a life sentence with a minimum term of six years after additional victims came forward. The number of victims is expected to be higher, with a 2019 prison psychologist report referring to Worboys accepting he preyed on 90 individuals. The Met said it had apologized for serious failings in the investigation and noted improvements in investigating rape and sexual offences, with arrests and charges more than doubling over the last year.

"The Metropolitan Police has said anyone who believes they may have been a victim of serial rapist John Worboys should contact them. Worboys is serving a life sentence for sexual offences he committed by luring women into his taxi late at night, pretending to have won money and offering drinks he had laced with drugs. He was jailed in 2009 after being convicted of 19 sex offences against 12 women. In 2019 he was sentenced to life with a minimum term of six years after more victims came forward. The exact number of victims is expected to be much higher."

""If you believe you may have been a victim or have any information about Worboys, we urge you to please contact us," a Met spokesperson said. "We promise that you will be supported and listened to." The Met said it had apologised for "serious failings" in the investigation into his crimes. Worboys' 2009 conviction was for offences linked to attacks on 12 women between October 2006 and February 2008. The 2019 conviction was the result of more victims coming forward about crimes he admitted to that took place between 2000 and 2008."

"The victims contacted the police following publicity around a parole board panel decision that he had been ready for release that was ultimately overturned after a legal challenge by two of his victims. It is thought there are more victims - a 2019 report from his prison psychologist referred to Worboys accepting that he preyed on 90 individuals. The Met spokesperson added: "Our thoughts remain with the victims and survivors of the horrific crimes committed by John Worboys." "We have previously apologised for the serious failings in the investigation, and the distress caused to all those affected.""

""This case led to significant improvements in the way rape and sexual offences are investigated, and recent figures show that arrests and charges for rape offences have more than doubled over the last year""

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