London Cab Driver Guilty Of Sex Attacks

A London taxi driver has been found guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting women in his cab.

John Worboys, of Rotherhithe, south-east London, was today found guilty of 19 charges of drugging and sexually assaulting 12 female passengers in the back of his cab.

One of the charges included a count of rape.

The court heard the 51-year-old ex-male stripper and porn actor, who performed under the name of Terry the Minder at hen parties and gay venues, gave the women champagne laced with strong sedatives after claiming he had won large amounts of money at casinos, or the lottery.

Many of the women told the court how they had little memory of the attacks and can only remember falling asleep in the back of the car before waking up at home.

However, one woman said she remembered being raped, while a second said she woke up to find the driver with his hand up her skirt.

Another woman said he exposed himself to her.

A total of 85 women have come forward to complain of being assaulted by the cab driver.

During the trial, which lasted seven weeks, the court in south London heard Worboys had preyed on women from the wealthy Kensington district and London's West End.

Worboys denied the charges, which were committed between July 2007 and February 2008.

The judge, who told Worboys he will be sentenced on April 21, warned him he will face a "substantial" jail term.

Mr Justice Penry-Davey told him: "You must be under no illusion that this case requires and will get a very substantial term of imprisonment.

"You must not understand from my putting the case back that any more lenient course could be taken."

Meanwhile an independent investigation has been ordered by the Metropolitan Police after it emerged Worboys had been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault in July 2007, but no further action was taken.

He had been held at a police station in south-east London, but released on bail. He was then arrested a second time in February 2008, which led to the charges he was convicted of today.

(JM/BMcC)