Met Police lose challenge over compensation paid to victims of John Worboys

Two victims of black cab rapist John Worboys have won their compensation case after the Supreme Court ruled the Metropolitan Police failed to carry out an effective investigation.

The police lost their challenge to an earlier hearing that had ruled they had breached the women's human rights by failing to investigate properly.

The ruling opens up the possibility for other Worboys' victims to bring claims for compensation against the police.

The women, who were attacked by Worboys in 2003 and 2007, won combined compensation of around £41,000.

The first of Worboys' victims to make a complaint to police was at court to hear the judgment.

Referring to the police, she said: "Had you done your job properly, there wouldn't be 105 victims, there would be one. I can take the one. I can't take the 105."

Met Police Deputy Commissioner Sir Craig Mackey said resources may have to be moved from other police departments, such as fraud, to deal with the fallout of today's court decision.

Following the ruling, Lord Kerr said: "There were such serious deficiencies in this case. There were, of course, both systemic and investigatory failures in the case.

"But, the important point to make is that, if the investigation is seriously defective, even if no systemic failures are present, this will be enough to render the police liable."

Responding to the judgement, Sir Craig said: "There is no doubt that it will have implications for how we resource and prioritise our investigations."

Worboys, 60, was convicted of 19 offences including rape and sexual assault against 19 victims in 2009.

• Victims get go-ahead to challenge rapist's release

The women - only identified as DSD and NBV - were never at risk of losing their damages.

Worboys remains in prison pending next month's High Court hearing into the Parole Board's decision to release him.

In a statement, Sir Craig Mackey, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said: "The Metropolitan Police Service fully accepts the decision of the court.

"We have always accepted that serious mistakes were made in this investigation and it was only the courage of the victims coming forward, including these two claimants, that enabled us to finally convict Worboys. We know we should have done more in the initial investigation and today, as we did following his conviction, I unreservedly apologise to the victims we failed."