Black cab rapist John Worboys ‘cowering’ in fear of prison attack after TV show

The monster is said to be cowering in his cell following the release of the series Believe Me on ITV, believing the show makes him a target.

Security has been raised around sick black cab rapist John Worboys amid fears he will be targeted by other inmates after his vile crimes were depicted in a TV series. The monster is said to be cowering in his cell following the release of Believe Me on ITV.

Worboys, 68, is currently being held at the same jail where Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins was killed and now fears publicity around the new show will spark anger among inmates. Lags are believed to hate seeing other cons in the spotlight and now prison officers are having to carry out extra checks on Worboys.

He is also being escorted by three or four guards every time he leaves his cell at HMP Wakefield, West Yorks.

The first two episodes of Believe Me – featuring actor Daniel Mays’ chilling portrayal of creepy Worboys – have been released on ITV, and the next two instalments are due to be released on Sunday and Monday of this week.

It is also claimed that most prisoners are able to watch the 9pm prime-time show as part of their Freeview package.

An insider said: “The programme is the talk of the jail and has therefore made Worboys a massive target. He is terrified and cowering in his cell.

“And when he does leave the cell, it is usually under a very heavy escort which means three or four officers. Most inmates at the jail can watch the programme as it’s on ITV and they can watch their TVs until 10pm or later.

“Cons can also order newspapers from the canteen, so they all know about it. Recent attacks show that the most high-profile prisoners can be got to, and Worboys is very aware of that.

“And prisoners just don’t like it when another inmate gets the limelight, whether they’ve looked for it or not. So the fact that this programme has been made about Worboys puts him in danger.

“Plus, Worboys is seen as a danger to himself so is being checked on really regularly with notes kept about how he is.”

Paedophile singer Watkins was killed at Wakefield last October, and child killer Kyle Bevan was also murdered at the Category A jail the following month.

The TV drama – also starring Aimee-Ffion Edwards and Aasiya Smith as victims – shows how cabbie Worboys enticed victims to drink drugged champagne by telling them he wont he lotto before attacking them.

He was jailed in 2009 for one rape, multiple sexual assaults and counts of drugging against 12 women between 2006 and 2008. He was initially set for release in 2018 after a controversial Parole Board decision, which was challenged by victims before being overturned.

Worboys – who has since changed his name to John Radford – was then handed two life sentences in 2019 for attacks on four additional women.

Police believe Worboys may have more than 100 victims. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “John Worboys’ crimes were horrific and our thoughts remain with the victims.”