Believe Me true story: Where is John Worboys now?

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This article discusses sensitive and potentially disturbing topics like sexual assault and rape. Reader discretion is advised.

ITV’s new four-part drama, Believe Me, focuses on the experiences of the victims in the John Worboys case and how the system let them down, rather than focusing on the perpetrator.

The story focuses on Sarah and Laila, and how their reports of sexual assault weren’t properly investigated by the Metropolitan Police, leaving them feeling failed by the system.

The show depicts the difficult experiences many women face after reporting a rape, including repeated and invasive interviews, the collection of sensitive evidence, and facing doubt from law enforcement.

The series portrays how Robert Worboys, played by Daniel Mays, is ultimately jailed for his offenses. The final episode focuses on how a recent religious conversion becomes central to his attempt to gain parole. While Believe Me reveals Worboys’ fate, many viewers are likely curious about his current whereabouts.

Read on to find out.

Believe Me true story: What happened to Sarah and Laila?

As explained in the book Believe Me, certain names, characters, and scenes have been altered or invented to protect the privacy of those who experienced the events depicted. This means the individuals who inspired the characters ‘Sarah’ and ‘Laila’ are represented using fictional names in the dramatization.

In the four-episode story, the two women team up with lawyer Harriet Wistrich (played by Philippa Dunne) to take legal action against the Metropolitan Police, claiming their rights were violated according to the Human Rights Act.

In 2018, they successfully sued the Metropolitan Police after a finding that the force hadn’t properly investigated their allegations of rape by Worboys.

This legal case established an important precedent and gave victims a new way to claim they were treated cruelly or disrespectfully, based on Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

At the time, Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Sir Craig Mackey acknowledged that significant errors occurred during the investigation. He stated that it was the bravery of the victims, including the two individuals who brought claims forward, that ultimately led to Worboys’ conviction.

Our appeal to the Supreme Court wasn’t about disagreeing with the victims’ account of events, but rather about how European human rights law should be understood. The outcome of this case will definitely affect how we allocate resources and decide which investigations are most important.

Known only to the public as DSD and NBV, they were awarded compensation totalling to £41,250.

After the verdict was announced, DSD stated her message to the police was simple: it’s time to follow existing procedures and actually do the job you’re paid to do. She criticized the use of public funds to defend against the liability case, arguing that proper police work could have prevented the harm to 105 victims. She added that she could accept responsibility for one victim, but not for the much larger number that resulted.

Aasiya Shah, who played ‘Sarah’ in Believe Me, shared in a recent interview that the most surprising part of preparing for the role was realizing just how deeply flawed the system she portrayed was. She explained that while she knew there were problems, seeing the extent of them – and understanding that these weren’t isolated incidents, but ongoing issues – was truly shocking.

As a film lover, I’ve been thinking a lot about this, and it feels like it’s more than just isolated incidents. It really points to how we, as a society, view women and those who’ve experienced trauma. There are some deeply ingrained beliefs that need to change, and honestly, the current system just keeps reinforcing them. It’s frustrating to see, but it’s something we need to address.

In 2018, these women played a key role in successfully challenging the parole decision for John Worboys, alongside London Mayor Sadiq Khan. More details on that process follow.

Where is John Worboys now?

John Worboys, infamous as the ‘black cab rapist’, was initially imprisoned in 2009 for sexually assaulting 12 women over a two-year period, between 2006 and 2008. He was convicted of a total of 19 offenses.

As shown in the book Believe Me, Worboys legally changed his name while incarcerated to John Radford. However, after serving only eight years – the minimum required – of his indefinite sentence, the Parole Board decided to release him in 2017.

He will be released with strict rules attached to his licence, following a psychological assessment that determined he is unlikely to commit sexual offences again.

After two of his victims protested the board’s earlier decision, the Parole Board reversed course in November 2018 and decided that Worboys would remain imprisoned.

At the time, authorities explained the serial rapist and predator believed he was entitled to sex and felt a need to dominate women.

As a long-time follower of this case, I read with interest the BBC’s report on why the Parole Board denied Worboys’ release. Apparently, they cited several key ‘risk factors’ – things like his ongoing sexual obsession, a disturbing sense of entitlement when it comes to sex, and, most shockingly, a belief that rape is somehow acceptable. It’s chilling to hear those reasons laid out so plainly.

The judges also felt the parole panel should have investigated the details of his crimes more thoroughly and considered whether his incomplete explanation of what happened affected how believable and trustworthy he seemed.

If the victims hadn’t spoken out to prevent Worboys’s release, the Parole Board likely wouldn’t have reconsidered its decision to let him out of prison.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan supported the legal challenge to the Parole Board’s decision regarding John Worboys. After the decision was overturned, he stated he was pleased with the outcome, as it would offer some comfort to Worboys’ victims and the people of London.

As a Londoner, and someone who cares deeply about our city, I was really disturbed to learn about this case. My biggest concern as Mayor is always the safety of everyone here, and I feel a strong responsibility to protect them. When one of the victim approached me, I knew I had to do something. It felt like my duty to challenge the Parole Board’s decision in court, as it just didn’t seem logical to me.

He continued, saying he was glad their efforts led to the Parole Board reversing its decision, which should reassure people in London about the fairness of the justice system.

No matter the outcome of today’s cases, the process for releasing prisoners through the Parole Board needs immediate and significant improvement. The serious mistakes made in handling the cases of John Worboys’s victims have shaken public trust in the justice system, and it’s time for more openness about how these release decisions are made.

After widespread public criticism of his parole, Worboys was sentenced to two additional life terms in 2019. He had previously admitted to sexually assaulting four women, and this new sentence required him to serve at least six more years in prison.

Four additional women came forward, and Worboys then confessed to drugging them before sexually assaulting them. These incidents occurred starting in the year 2000.

The judge, Mrs Justice Maura McGowan, said at the time that he was still “dangerous”.

During the court hearing, the judge stated she believed the defendant still posed a danger to the public. She explained that his criminal behavior had been happening for longer than initially thought – over five years – and she wasn’t confident he would ever stop being a threat.

As a true crime and cinema devotee, I was horrified learning about the sheer number of women affected by Worboys. The police have said they think he harmed over 100 women before he was finally apprehended – it’s a truly staggering and upsetting figure. It really highlights the importance of listening to and believing survivors.

In 2018, Worboys was moved from Belmarsh prison in southeast London to HMP Wakefield in West Yorkshire, according to reports from the Press Association.

In August 2025, Lancashire Police announced a new investigation into Worboys following a rape allegation. The alleged incident occurred while Worboys was working as a stripper.

A spokesperson said police received a report of a rape that allegedly occurred in Blackpool in the late 1990s. They have launched an investigation, which is still active, and no arrests have been made so far.

Worboys, now 68, will have a parole hearing open to the public in January 2026 as he seeks release from prison.

According to Peter Rook KC, speaking for the Parole Board chair, John Worboys will have a parole hearing open to the public on June 9th and 10th.

I understand the upcoming hearings will likely cover the serious accusations against Mr. Worboys – specifically, claims of sexual assaults he hasn’t been convicted of. It’s a really troubling situation, and I’m interested in seeing how it all unfolds.

Most parole hearings aren’t open to the public, but Worboys’ case will be the twelfth one held publicly since 2022. The hearing will determine whether Worboys, considered a high-risk prisoner, can be safely released from prison or transferred to a lower-security facility.

When questioned about whether the upcoming parole hearing for John Worboys influenced the creation of the drama ‘Believe Me,’ Jeff Pope explained to TopMob and other news sources: “It’s hard to see what argument he could make to be granted parole this time, considering the police report that he’s assaulted 105 women.”

It seems clear to me. I won’t speculate further, but the simple truth is this person has been accused of attacking 105 women.

For information and support, please visit Rape Crisis or The Survivors Trust.

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Believe Me will air on ITV from 10 May with all four episodes available to stream on ITVX.

Don’t miss ‘Add Believe Me’! Watch it on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Download the app today for daily TV suggestions, exclusive features, and more.

Authors

Morgan CormackDrama Writer

Morgan Cormack writes about TV and streaming drama for TopMob. Before that, she was an Entertainment Writer at Stylist. She also has experience in content marketing and freelancing, and holds a BA degree in English Literature.

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2026-05-10 11:40