John Worboys lived alone in Rotherhithe, South London, before marrying Kate Santos in 1991; the couple separated after four years.
77 Facts About John Worboys
1.
2.
John Worboys was in a relationship at the time of his arrest in 2008.
3.
From 1987 to 2000, John Worboys worked as a stripper, using "Terry the Minder" as a pseudonym.
4.
John Worboys hired out his flat in Poole, Dorset, for making pornographic films.
5.
In 1996, John Worboys passed The Knowledge, an exam that allowed him to operate as a taxi driver within London.
6.
John Worboys still continued to work as a stripper at night.
7.
John Worboys was a London black cab taxi driver who picked up women as fares late at night in central London.
8.
John Worboys would tell each woman he was celebrating coming into a large amount of money, usually by winning the lottery or at a casino, show her a carrier bag full of money to back up his story, and then suggest she drink a glass of champagne with him, which he had drugged with sedatives.
9.
John Worboys had a limited memory of the incident, but reported it to the police.
10.
The woman drank champagne and remembers John Worboys forcibly kissing her, but nothing more.
11.
Police seized CCTV from outside the student's halls of residence, which showed John Worboys carrying the woman out of his taxi at 0430 BST, with the woman clearly unsteady on her feet, walking away from John Worboys' cab and to where she lived.
12.
John Worboys reported the incident to police and Worboys was arrested.
13.
From this incident, John Worboys was identified police attended his address, with no reply.
14.
John Worboys's DNA was located on a semen stain within her underwear.
15.
John Worboys drank the champagne that was offered and remembers Worboys assaulting her.
16.
John Worboys offered a drink, which was accepted by the mother this left her feeling drowsy.
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John Worboys was discovered by her fiance at their home address, slumped by the toilet, unable to move her legs.
18.
John Worboys pretended to sip the drink, having noticed fizzing and a piece of foil in the glass.
19.
John Worboys dropped her friend off, before offering the woman a drink, to which she initially refused.
20.
The woman lost consciousness, however when she came around, she was still in the taxi, with John Worboys refusing to let her out.
21.
John Worboys' DNA was recovered from a semen stain in one woman's underwear, a wristband belonging to another woman was found in his house and a third woman's address was found in his notebook.
22.
In 2002, Becki Houlston, was walking to a taxi rank after a night out with friends in Bournemouth, Dorset, when she spotted a black cab, being driven by John Worboys, which was unusual amongst the traditional yellow taxis in the town.
23.
Whilst she didn't want to drink it, John Worboys was insistent, so she took a sip.
24.
John Worboys thought nothing more of the incident until 2009, when she saw the news that Worboys would give victims champagne, telling them he'd won the lottery or at the casino.
25.
John Worboys saw his eyes and knew that the taxi driver who had done the same was Worboys, recalling how it sent a chill down her, knowing she was that close to him.
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When Houlston learnt John Worboys was to be released, she was outraged and contacted a solicitor to make a statement.
27.
John Worboys later recalled Worboys claiming he had won the lottery, only having flashbacks of what occurred, with her next memory being waking up the following afternoon.
28.
John Worboys told Fiona that he had won a lot of money and offered Fiona what she described as a 'very strong orange liqueur'.
29.
John Worboys later recalled that she remembered Worboys getting into the back of the taxi to have a cigarette with her, putting his arm around her, complimenting her.
30.
John Worboys pleaded not guilty to all 23 counts brought against him, with his trial beginning on 20 January 2009.
31.
John Worboys received an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment for public protection with the minimum custodial term set at eight years.
32.
John Worboys ordered Worboys banned from driving a passenger vehicle for profit.
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The handling of John Worboys' case was brought before the Independent Police Complaints Commission, who concluded that proper investigations could have prevented some of the attacks.
34.
On 28 May 2010, John Worboys applied for permission to appeal his conviction.
35.
Police believed that in 13 years as a taxi driver, John Worboys could have drugged and attacked more than 100 female passengers.
36.
In June 2013, a psychologist noted that John Worboys maintained that he was innocent and lacked engagement in offence-focussed programmes.
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However, on 18 May 2015, with approximately 9 months until the minimum term John Worboys had to serve before eligibility to be released on parole, Warboys admitted he was responsible for his offending.
38.
John Worboys repeatedly told the psychologist that he wanted to be honest, wanting to talk about 'everything'.
39.
John Worboys outlined that whilst he had previously maintained hope that his convictions would be overturned, he now thought that this was unrealistic, which provided further motivation for him to take responsibility for his offending.
40.
Section 28 of the Crime Act 1997 meant that John Worboys was not eligible for a Parole Board hearing for a further two years.
41.
In November 2015, John Worboys completed the SOTP Foundation programme, before completing the SOTP Core programme in October 2016.
42.
However, it was recommended that John Worboys was not suitable at that time to be released or move to an open prison.
43.
The review stated that there was 'sufficient evidence of risk reduction to recommend a review of his security category' and that once John Worboys was downgraded from being a Category A prisoner, he would be 'required to spend a period in high security conditions as a Category B prisoner, before being considered for progression'.
44.
On 30 May 2017, John Worboys solicitors wrote to the Parole Board to seek an oral hearing, with their representations seeking John Worboys being transferred to an open prison.
45.
However, on a separate instance, on 8 August 2017, the Secretary of State determined that John Worboys should remain as a Category A prisoner, as 'there was insufficient evidence of risk reduction'.
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John Worboys would have to report to probation staff every week and was barred from contacting any of his survivors.
47.
On 4 January 2018, the BBC reported that John Worboys was to be released from prison.
48.
John Worboys, who was by now 60 years old, had spent 10 years in custody including a period on remand.
49.
In November 2018, it was announced that John Worboys would remain in prison.
50.
John Worboys told her he was celebrating a win on the horses, offering CJ champagne.
51.
John Worboys told them that he had won the lottery and as the pair were his last passengers, he would not charge them a fare.
52.
John Worboys offered the pair a drink and on arriving back at HM's address, HM stayed in the taxi, accepting a drink, with her friend leaving and going into the house.
53.
HM's next memory was being in John Worboys' taxi, driving someone near the Edgware Road, potentially into the Paddington Basic area.
54.
HM remembered John Worboys giving her more to drink, with her next recollection being in the taxi, parked outside her address.
55.
John Worboys helped her out of his taxi and HM went into the house, feeling very unwell the following day and with a sense of anxiety.
56.
John Worboys hailed Worboys' taxi and he told her that he had won money at the casino.
57.
FP later recalled being shown a bag of money, as well as a bottle of champagne that John Worboys repeatedly asked FP to have a drink.
58.
John Worboys told the woman he had won the lottery, showing miniature bottles of champagne, asking if they wanted to celebrate.
59.
John Worboys was undressed, but still wearing underwear, with no signs she'd been assaulted.
60.
In 2009, when John Worboys was arrested, LB saw a photograph of him, immediately recognising John Worboys.
61.
However, further coverage of John Worboys' offending caused her to approach and make a complaint to police.
62.
On 23 May 2019 John Worboys appeared via video-link at Westminster Magistrates' Court from HMP Wakefield, West Yorkshire.
63.
On 17 December 2019, John Worboys was sentenced to two life sentences with a minimum term of six years for attacking the four women; the earliest of the offences occurred in 2000, five years before previously known attacks.
64.
John Worboys lost his appeal against his sentence, at a hearing with three judges in London in February 2021.
65.
Whilst in custody, John Worboys has discussed his offending with psychologists, at various occasions.
66.
John Worboys explaining how he offered passengers drinks in December 2005 and June 2006, without offending.
67.
John Worboys stated that in September 2006, he went to strip clubs, watching pornographic videos with an older man.
68.
John Worboys stated that this was a trigger for an interest in women in their mid-20s and that the trigger for his offending, was the break-up with a partner in 2005.
69.
John Worboys continued, stating that he waited for a week due to being anxious about being caught.
70.
John Worboys stated that he gave 11 of the 12 victims half a Temazepam tablet, concerned that he didn't cause 'too much harm'.
71.
John Worboys stated that he would then touch their leg or look up their skirt whilst he touched himself.
72.
John Worboys added it was his aim to ejaculate often the victim would wake up, causing him to panic, with him returning immediately to the driver's seat of the taxi, before continuing the journey.
73.
When she complained the tablet had no effect, John Worboys decided to give her a whole Temazepam tablet.
74.
John Worboys stated that he masturbated before driving home, with the victim making 'no further comment about the assault'.
75.
John Worboys stated that after he resumed the relationship, he did not reoffend until June 2006.
76.
John Worboys stated that he picked her up, but that she was heavily intoxicated, with him having to take her to her mother's address.
77.
John Worboys described that he was 'enraged' and her heavy intoxication angered him, and he decided to act, fetching drugs and drink, before searching for a victim on that night.