'Black Cab Rapist' Found Guilty of Four More Offences
Six years added to his sentence for drugging four women
Black cab rapist John Worboys has had his sentence extended after being found guilty of four more offences.
Now known as John Radford he was found guilty of two counts of administering a stupefying or overpowering drug with intent and two counts of administering a substance with intent. As a result he will serve a minimum of six years extra. The judge at the Old Bailey said she did not know when it would be safe to release him.
John Radford (formerly Worboys)
Radford had pleaded guilty to these offences at the same court on 20 June.
Each of the four charges relates to offences against four different women. They were first reported to police in early 2018.
In each case, the victims reported getting into Radford’s cab after a night out, and accepted a drink from him after being told that he had won money - on the lottery, at a casino or after gambling - and wanted to celebrate.
They then say they “blacked out” and waking up some time later, feeling disoriented and unwell. The victims in this case said their encounters with Radford were in 2000-2001, 2003, 2007, and 2007-08 respectively.
In December 2018 they all pointed out Radford during identification parades as the cab driver who picked them up on those evenings.
Radford was charged on 1 May 2019. He is currently in HMP Wakefield serving a sentence handed down in 2009 for multiple sexual offences. One of his victims was a woman from Putney whom he picked up outside a club on Tottenham Court Road on 21 December 2007. He raped her after driving her home with DNA evidence being used to convict him.
Detective Chief Inspector Ann-Marie Waller, of the Met’s Central Specialist Crime command, said: “Radford’s criminal history and predatory nature is well-documented and the disgust and anger about his serial offending will endure for years to come.
“Like all of his victims, the four women who saw justice done today were passengers in his taxi and were incapacitated by a drink offered to them by Radford on false pretences, and for his own sexual gratification.
“They have shown incredible courage and bravery in re-living their ordeals and reporting the crimes committed against them to police. I hope that they feel safer in the knowledge that Radford will spend more time behind bars for his crimes.
“When these offences were reported in 2018, officers were resolute in carrying out a thorough investigation and building the strongest possible case against Radford, working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure the case was brought before the courts.
“We would urge any victims of serious sexual offences who have not reported the crimes committed against them to police, for whatever reason, to come forward. These types of cases are often complex and challenging, but officers will always take allegations seriously and investigate them thoroughly, whilst doing the utmost to bring offenders to justice and support victims.”
Representatives of the victims have pointed out that the extra charges that Radford/Worboys faced were as a result of their efforts rather than further investigations by the authorities.
It is estimated that the former cabbie carried out over 100 rapes and sexual assault between 2002 and 2008.
December 18, 2019