Police breached rights of Worboys' victims

Police forces could face fresh legal action by victims of serious crime over bungled investigations following a landmark legal ruling.

John Worboys

Supreme Court judges found that forces should be held liable over “seriously defective” inquiries after rejecting an appeal by the Metropolitan Police linked to the case of black cab rapist John Worboys.

Deputy Commissioner Sir Craig Mackey said the force may “see a growth in this type of litigation” and that resources may have to be moved away from crimes such as fraud to deal with the fallout of the decision.

Lord Kerr said: “If the investigation is seriously defective, even if no systemic failures are present, this will be enough to render the police liable.”

The first of Worboys’ victims to make a complaint to police, known as DSD, was at court to hear the judgment. She and another woman who was also attacked by Worboys, known as NBV, were awarded £22,250 and £19,000 respectively after the High Court ruled that the Met was liable to them for failures in its investigation.