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| John Worboys victims in damages case setback | John Worboys victims in damages case setback |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Victims of black cab rapist John Worboys should not receive damages from his insurer, a judge has ruled. | Victims of black cab rapist John Worboys should not receive damages from his insurer, a judge has ruled. |
| John Worboys, 54, was convicted in 2009 of drugging and sexually assaulting women while working as a licensed London taxi driver. | John Worboys, 54, was convicted in 2009 of drugging and sexually assaulting women while working as a licensed London taxi driver. |
| Ten victims had asked the High Court to rule on whether insurers were liable for damages because Worboys' crimes were committed in his insured taxi. | Ten victims had asked the High Court to rule on whether insurers were liable for damages because Worboys' crimes were committed in his insured taxi. |
| But Mr Justice Silber has ruled against the women. | But Mr Justice Silber has ruled against the women. |
| 'Greatest sympathy' | 'Greatest sympathy' |
| He dismissed applications brought against Inceptum Insurance Company Limited on a preliminary issue of whether it was liable for compensation. | He dismissed applications brought against Inceptum Insurance Company Limited on a preliminary issue of whether it was liable for compensation. |
| The judge expressed the "greatest sympathy" for the women "in the light of the horrifying experiences that they suffered at the hands of Worboys". | The judge expressed the "greatest sympathy" for the women "in the light of the horrifying experiences that they suffered at the hands of Worboys". |
| But he said his duty was to "follow the appropriate legal principles". | But he said his duty was to "follow the appropriate legal principles". |
| Edwin Glasgow QC, counsel for the women, had told the judge at a hearing in April: "The fundamental issue is whether personal injuries caused by a taxi driver's assaults on a passenger were 'caused by or arose out of the use of a vehicle on a road' for the purposes of compulsory insurance as required by the Road Traffic Act 1988. | Edwin Glasgow QC, counsel for the women, had told the judge at a hearing in April: "The fundamental issue is whether personal injuries caused by a taxi driver's assaults on a passenger were 'caused by or arose out of the use of a vehicle on a road' for the purposes of compulsory insurance as required by the Road Traffic Act 1988. |
| "It is our submission that the use of the taxi and the part that it played in the attacks that occurred during the course of the journeys was essential and material. | "It is our submission that the use of the taxi and the part that it played in the attacks that occurred during the course of the journeys was essential and material. |
| "The taxi did not just happen to be at the place where the assaults occurred - it was the symbol of security which seduced these young women to believe they were safe." | "The taxi did not just happen to be at the place where the assaults occurred - it was the symbol of security which seduced these young women to believe they were safe." |
| '102 victims' | |
| In his ruling, Mr Justice Silber found that the bodily injuries suffered by the women did not arise out of the use of Worboys' vehicle on a road or other public place within the meaning of the 1988 Act. | In his ruling, Mr Justice Silber found that the bodily injuries suffered by the women did not arise out of the use of Worboys' vehicle on a road or other public place within the meaning of the 1988 Act. |
| He found that Worboys' use of the vehicle at the material times was not a use insured by the policy issued by the insurers. | He found that Worboys' use of the vehicle at the material times was not a use insured by the policy issued by the insurers. |
| Worboys was jailed indefinitely after he was found guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting 12 women. | Worboys was jailed indefinitely after he was found guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting 12 women. |
| The number of victims could be as high as 102, police have said. | The number of victims could be as high as 102, police have said. |