John Worboys, infamously dubbed the "Black Cab Rapist," is once again under police scrutiny, this time for an alleged rape dating back more than 25 years in Blackpool. The 68-year-old, who now goes by John Radford, has already been convicted of a string of sexual offences that shocked the UK and led to widespread calls for reform in how the criminal justice system handles serial sexual predators. But as of August 25, 2025, Lancashire Police have confirmed a fresh investigation into a report of rape from the late 1990s, during a period when Worboys was working as a male stripper in the seaside town.
According to Lancashire Police, "We received a report of rape which was reported to have happened in the late 1990s in Blackpool. An investigation was launched, and our enquiries are ongoing. No one has been arrested at this stage." This new probe comes on the heels of a decades-long saga involving Worboys, whose crimes have left an indelible mark on British public consciousness and the lives of his many victims.
Worboys first gained notoriety after his arrest in 2008, when he was unmasked as one of Britain’s most prolific serial sex offenders. In 2009, he was jailed indefinitely for public protection with a minimum term of eight years after being found guilty of 19 sexual offences against 12 women, committed between 2006 and 2008. The court heard how he would stalk London’s West End in his Hackney carriage, offering women rides home before plying them with sedative-laced champagne and spinning elaborate stories—like claiming to have won the lottery—to gain their trust. As reported by Sky News, these tactics enabled him to attack dozens of women with chilling efficiency.
Police have long suspected that the full scale of Worboys’ offending is far greater than what was proven in court. They believe he may have committed offences against more than 100 women before he was finally caught. Dave Hanson, a former friend and fellow performer, told the Sunday Mirror, "They are taking this extremely seriously. I am sure there are many, many more victims. So far, most victims have been identified in London. But he travelled across the country. I believe he raped hundreds of women." Hanson recounted a recent visit from Lancashire detectives, saying, "I had a call from the police in Preston. They wanted to speak to me about a rape from there. They came to my home, two detectives. They said they thought he had committed more rapes. They asked me if I had been with him on a job in Blackpool. That's when they thought he had committed the rape."
Despite Hanson’s inability to place himself with Worboys in Blackpool at the relevant time, his testimony underscores the sense among investigators and observers alike that Worboys’ true tally of victims may never be fully known. Most identified victims so far have been in London, but the ongoing Blackpool investigation suggests his crimes may have spanned far wider than previously established.
Worboys’ criminal history is as disturbing as it is extensive. After his initial conviction in 2009, he was handed a life sentence at the Old Bailey in December 2019, with a minimum term of six years, after admitting to spiking the drinks of four more women. Justice McGowan, presiding over his 2019 sentencing, was unequivocal in her assessment: "I find you are currently dangerous. I do not know when, if ever, you will cease to be a risk." A 2019 report echoed this chilling warning, stating, "He is potentially just as dangerous now as at the point of the first sentence."
The criminal justice system’s handling of Worboys has been fraught with controversy. In 2018, the Parole Board cleared him for release after ten years in prison—without informing many of his victims. The decision, made without full consideration of evidence that he had attacked at least 105 women, provoked widespread public outrage and prompted other victims to come forward. The High Court ultimately overturned the release decision in March 2018 after two victims, known only as DSD and NBV, challenged it. As one victim told the press, "He has destroyed so many lives and I still believe he is capable of doing more harm. I fear for other women if he is ever released."
Worboys’ modus operandi was as manipulative as it was predatory. He would offer women what appeared to be celebratory drinks—often laced with sedatives—while regaling them with fabricated tales of sudden wealth. The trial revealed that police errors allowed him to continue offending for years, even after multiple women reported strikingly similar allegations between 2002 and 2008. According to The Blackpool Gazette, these failures contributed to Worboys’ ability to operate undetected for so long, amplifying the sense of betrayal felt by his victims and the broader public.
As the latest investigation unfolds, the spotlight is once again on the authorities’ efforts to bring justice to those harmed by Worboys. Lancashire Police’s pursuit of leads in Blackpool, including interviews with Worboys’ former associates, signals a determined attempt to uncover the truth behind the decades-old allegation. Yet, as with so many historical sexual assault cases, the passage of time presents formidable challenges for investigators and prosecutors alike. Memories fade, evidence is lost, and the trauma experienced by survivors often makes coming forward an agonizing ordeal.
Still, the renewed focus on Worboys comes at a time of heightened public awareness around women’s safety and the need for robust institutional responses to sexual violence. Campaigners and advocacy groups have long argued that the scale of Worboys’ offending—and the failures that allowed it to continue—should serve as a catalyst for systemic change. Ten organizations recently pressed the Home Secretary on the government’s women’s safety strategy, underscoring the enduring impact of cases like Worboys’ on public trust in the justice system.
For now, Worboys remains behind bars, his prospects for release clouded by his dangerousness and the ongoing investigations into his past. Whether the Blackpool allegation will lead to further charges remains uncertain, but for many, the mere fact that police are still pursuing leads after more than two decades is a testament to the perseverance of survivors and investigators alike.
As the investigation continues, the story of John Worboys stands as a stark reminder of the enduring scars left by serial offenders—and the long, difficult road to justice for those they harm.
