Harriet Wistrich, the lawyer who represented two victims of John Worboys in their successful challenge against his release, has said the criminal justice system is failing women. Speaking after the parole board's decision to keep the black cab rapist in prison was overturned, she warned that many more similar cases will arise unless meaningful changes are made.
Wistrich described her clients as 'delighted and relieved' by the high court ruling that blocked Worboys' release. However, she stressed that the vindication does not compensate for the years they have had to live with the trauma of his attacks. Worboys was convicted of assaulting 12 women, including one rape, and is suspected of attacking up to 100 more.
The lawyer criticised the parole board's original decision to release Worboys after just 10 years, arguing that statistical risk assessments are flawed because most sexual offences go unreported. According to the Office for National Statistics, over 80% of sexual assault victims did not report the incident in the year to March 2017, and only 6-7% of cases result in conviction.
Wistrich also expressed alarm at a change in Metropolitan Police policy, announced by Commissioner Cressida Dick, which instructs officers to adopt an 'open mind' rather than a pro-belief approach when investigating sexual offences. She described this as 'alarming, shocking and astonishing', arguing that officers should start from the premise that an allegation is true and investigate accordingly.
Since the Worboys case, the parole board has made procedural changes, including presumed victim attendance at hearings and the right to request summaries of decisions. However, Wistrich noted that a Ministry of Justice review into parole board decisions has yet to publish its findings, and she has been contacted by many others in similar circumstances.
