The eastern United States, with record breaking low temperatures that have already claimed several lives. Good morning. Its friday 5th january. Im annita mcveigh. Welcome to bbc newsroom live. Chairman of the parole board has apologised unreservedly for not telling of the release ofjohn worboys. He was jailed in 2009. The black cab driver was jailed in 2009 for offences against 12 women, but detectives believe he carried out more than a hundred rapes and sexual assaults. This morning a Cross Party Group of mps has written to thejustice secretary to call for an investigation as to whether the voices of victims were heard in the decision to release him on parole. The parole Board Chairman said he recognised there was a lack of transparency and would hold a Public Consultation. Our home affairs correspondent, daniel sandford, has more. For six years, john worboys cruised smart areas of london in his black cab, looking for women to drug and rape. When he was finally caught, thejudge said hed serve a minimum of eight years in prison, and said he wouldnt be released until he was no longer a threat to women. Worboys would show young women he picked up in his cab large wads of cash, saying hed recently won big at the casino. Then hed offer them champagne, which hed spiked with sedatives, and rape them. The judge gave him whats known as an indeterminate sentence, under which people are only freed once theyre no longer considered dangerous. The parole board has decided worboys will be released this month under supervision after spending less than ten years in prison. Ive spoken to one of my clients, who is absolutely horrified and really, really distressed that nobody had the courtesy to inform her, so shes in the middle of cooking tea for her kids and she hears this on the radio, and feels absolutely sick to her stomach. The organisation rape crisis said it was far too soon for worboys to be released. Although police believejohn worboys attacked over 100 women, he was only convicted of attacking 12. And only one of those convictions was for rape. And thats why his sentence was so short. All the same, under the indeterminate sentence rules, the parole board will need to have assured themselves thatjohn worboys was no longer a risk as a sexual predator. This morning the chair of the parole board, Nick Hardwick has responded to criticism of the release ofjohn worboys. He said. The former director of Public Prosecutions sir keir starmer has been criticised over his decision not to prosecutejohn worboys over dozens more sex attacks. Speaking outside his home, mr keir starmer has said any alleged victims with concerns over their case was handled to contact the police. Firstly, it is important that any allegations that anybody thinks have not been looked into as efficiently put to the police so they can be looked into. It is important that what is said is factually accurate. Crown Prosecution Service have the case, they made the decision in the case, they made the decision in the case arent is important you go to their to get Accurate Court readout of the decision made. You confident the right decisions were made . think these decisions were nine yea rs think these decisions were nine years ago, it is important that you go to the crown Prosecution Service foran go to the crown Prosecution Service for an accurate readout of the decisions made, particularly further regulations possibly made now. Several women did go. Lets speak now to Dame Vera Baird qc. Shes a former solicitor general who is now the police and crime commissioner for northumbria. Thank you for taking the time to talk to was macro. Many questions about this case, policing questions, justice questions. Lets deal with the immediate issue of the news that john worboys is being given parole, that some of his victims were contacted but some werent. Are you surprised by the decision to release him at this time . Ifind him at this time . I find the him at this time . Ifind the decision him at this time . I find the decision somewhere on a continuum between worrying and actually frightening. What is extremely difficult for the public is the chair of the board acknowledging they do not need to give reasons, not to sit in bubbly, not to tell the public why. You look at the things that this man did. Drew them attempting to rape, sexually assaulting five, and the evidence was not great because they had been dropped. That is a campaign of rape that he continued with great skill, tenacity, he was arrested once on bail and it did not stop him, he carried on offending. This isa man him, he carried on offending. This is a man who convicted in 2009 tried to appeal in 2010, was showing no remorse than at all. It is very hard to know absolutely what has transformed him from a man still protesting his innocence seven years ago of all of art to a man who can now be said to be such a reformed character comedy can be let loose in the world again. How can anyone not be worried . I think you have hit the nail on the head outline telling how people cannot be convinced that he has been able to convince the parole board, but in terms of the parole boards decision and Decision Making process , decision and Decision Making process, due except it is operating within its remit and it cannot release any more information about it at this stage . Of course. I heard Nick Hardwick this morning and he knows the rules very well and nothing more can be said and it is time that changed. But it does generate a dissatisfaction. Lets look at the a few more facts. These cases were undervalued and have been by decriminalised is system by the start. Two of the victims, probably one of them is one of the people who was not told he was being released, have sued the metropolitan police because of the poor way they investigated it. They believe with john worboys. Various woman complained it was him. In addition, there are around 100 other women waiting in the wings whose cases we re waiting in the wings whose cases were not taken forward, there may be no evidence. Keir starmer is right that we need to ask the cps about that. It is not impossible but the reason they were not taken forward is because this man appeared to be so dangerous with the deliberate strategy of campaigning of rape that they would never imagine he would be released at this time and did not feel it was in the Public Interest to put the victims through many more cases. It is hard to know if he would change, the Sex Offender Programme which is the one that presumably he would go on was revoked in june presumably he would go on was revoked injune because of a fraction, people who had not gone on it were less likely to reoffend than people who had. In addition, the pa role people who had. In addition, the parole board has got pressure upon it to release people who are on exactly this kind of sentence, indeterminate sentence for public detection because many, i think about 4000, have been able to overrun their tariff. It is right to mention that prison inspector reports make it clear that a 900 of these prisoners who were released by these prisoners who were released by the parole board last year, 480 had to be recourse to custody because they had really offended or broken they had really offended or broken the terms of the parole. Sorry to interrupt, i did want to try to get through a couple more questions. We heard what keir starmer said. Do you think it would be helpful if he had been further with his words in terms of those cases that many people believe have been brought to court which potentially would have led tojohn worboys not being eligible for any sort of parole at this stage . Ido sort of parole at this stage . I do not think it is realistic to expect an individual who has changed into a completely different career now to give an assessment as to why decisions were taken. It may not have been taken by him, it would be taken within the cps, and is as he said, for the details so long ago, it needs to be looked at with them. But there is a question ofjustice. That brings me to the next question, the Cross Party Letter from 58 mps writing to David Lidington to ask foran writing to David Lidington to ask for an investigation as to whether the de victims were heard in the decision to release him. Do think there is some way potentially far this decision to be overturned . They ought to be heard and it is pa rt they ought to be heard and it is part and parcel of the board to ensure that and that is fairly inconsistent with no contact having been made with at least two of the complainants. The. If it is possible to do it, then i urge that that should be done because albeit the parole board sits in confidence, none the less the court will be entitled to review this and entitled to know on what basis it is being done. I think the cps do need to look again at all those complaints from the other women now because apart from the real concern about this individual with no explanation being put out into society, there is a question ofjust do myjustice. He dropped 12 women with the intention of raping, he has had an appalling impact on those womens lives. Dame vera baird, qc, thank you for your time today. New car sales fell for the first time in six years last year, dragged down by a collapse in the demand for diesel, and the uks motor industry warns it expects britains car market to weaken further this year. The society of Motor Manufacturers and traders says there were 2. 5 million cars registered last year. It shows a 5. 6 fall on the number of registrations in 2016. The sale of diesel cars fell 17 since 2016, as higher taxes and pollution fears hit demand. And the situation could worsen this year. The smmt expects that car sales will drop by up to 7 this year. The industry body blames uncertainty over brexit and confusion about future policy on diesel cars. Mike hawes is chief executive of the society for Motor Manufacturers and traders. He told me why he thought diesel cars still play an Important Role in the market. For the average consumer buying a diesel car versus the equivalent petrol, they can save around £400 a year, the same as your annual gas bill. Add to the fact that with these new diesel vehicles you are also getting the other technology and they can be a compelling prospect. What we need to do, and what manufacturers are doing, is help new customers into vehicles through incentives, Additional Support mechanisms, but we need government to make sure it is encouraging these vehicles. In other words, get the government to tax older vehicles off the road, effectively . Not necessarily, people bought these vehicles in good faith. We need to recognise diesel is the right choice for many consumers. If you live in a city, fine, electric or small petrol is probably the right vehicle for you. Most people drive in and out of the city, rural areas, longer mileage, which is where you get the benefit of a diesel and that, for many people, is the right choice, and it is also the right choice in many ways for the environment because what we have seen is while the average c02 of a car is coming down, because of the way the market is changing, overall c02 will be going up because of the move away from diesel and that is not good for the industry or the environment. Talk to is a about how much have improved compared to be a few years ago and how long they sit with a cow with a petrol engine . They tend to be 20 better in co2. In the other emissions in terms of particular is, that issue was dealt with years ago. 99 of all particulars and now removed. Their 90 better in performance and the way the test is changed is that not only when you test a card to certify to put it on the road, not only is it testing that, it is tested on the road so you can demonstrate that the pickles will do what they say both in a laboratory will do what they say both in a la boratory test will do what they say both in a Laboratory Test and in the real world. That should provide the reassurance to consumers. A Controversial Book, which is a fly on the wall account of trumps first year in power, is being published today. The publisher opted for an earlier release date in response to attempts by the president s lawyers to block it. In a tweet overnight, donald trump said it was full of lies and criticised his former adviser, steve bannon. 0ur north america correspondent peter bowes reports. Publish and be damned. The book that wont go away. The white house dispute its accuracy and the president s lawyers have threatened to sue for libel. Theyve demanded that the author, michael wolff, and the publisher should immediately cease and desist from any further publication. Instead, the release date has been brought forward, much to the apparent delight of mr wolff. Here we go, you can buy it and read it, thank you, mr president , he tweets. The white house says the book is tabloid trash, gossip, false and fraudulent. It portrays mr trump as being surprised at winning the presidency, and paints a picture of his administration as dysfunctional and divided. Steve bannon, whos widely quoted in the extracts already published, has not disputed their content. His response on a radio programme, to declare his unfailing support for the president. The president of the United States is a great man. And mr trumps response to that. I dont know, he called me a great man last night. So, you know, he obviously changed his tune pretty quick. Now, with the lawyers poised, theres an entire book to read for the next instalment in this extraordinary saga. Peter bowes, bbc news. And not surprisingly the president couldnt resist commenting again on social media. In the last few hours he tweeted. The headlines on bbc newsroom live. The chairman of the parole board says he is very concerned that victims of the serial rapist, john warboys, were not told that he was about to be released. A sharp drop in the number of new diesel cars sold last year. Sales were down 17 , with overall car sales, falling by 5 . Ding a book containing damaging allegations about donald trump is released early. And in sport, more frustration for englands bowlers in the final passages test. Australia are on top in day two in sydney. They are only two wickets down at the moment. Chelsea look set to sign a new fielder. Ross barclay is expected to have a medical at sta mford expected to have a medical at Stamford Bridge today. Reigning australia opening reigning Australian Open champion has pulled out. She can compete, but that is not good enough and needs a little more time. A serious case review has recommended improvements be made to safeguarding in wolverhampton following the murder of a two year old in 2016. Jeremiah regis ngaujah was beaten to death by his mothers partner. He was the fifth child to be killed by an adult in wolverhampton the race but to our correspondent who has been following the case and he started by telling him needy background to the death. This happened in 2016 and this is the flat where jeremiah lived with happened in 2016 and this is the flat wherejeremiah lived with his mother and stepfather. The stepfather had strong christian beliefs which he thought meant that he could use physical punishment when ever a child was naughty and that meant the happy, smiley toddler was beaten with a rod and a belt and ultimately killed by Chevaze Mcgregor who was jailed last year. He is serving a minimum of 21 years in prison. The mother was the victim of Domestic Abuse in the relationship. She was jailed for allowing the death of a child, initially for more than three years. That was reduced on appeal to two yea rs that was reduced on appeal to two years and four months. They felt she was very much a victim in this case. Today there was a serious case review which has been published into the death ofjeremiah and it makes a number of recommendations. It makes similar readings to too many i have read over the years that point a failure to really follow up signs that perhaps something wasnt going right in the life of young jeremiah. 0ne right in the life of young jeremiah. One of the things that is quite stack is there was a Multi Agency Referral just a few stack is there was a Multi Agency Referraljust a few months before his death that there would no safeguarding concerns despite complaints from Sindyann Regis who was very complaints from Sindyann Regis who was very much a victim of abuse herself saying she was subjected to Domestic Violence but those particular complaints not being followed up that is astonishing. But with the other children killed by an adult in wolverhampton in the previous decade one wonders were no Lessons Learned from those cases that may have prevented this death was mac and the sad thing is i have covered all of those stories, all of those trials, all of the serious case reviews, and yes, reading this you can see that lessons have been learned, there is a multi agency approach, there is a multi agency safeguarding hope. In the case of all the children, dozens in the case of all the children, d oze ns of in the case of all the children, dozens of agencies are involved and these were definitely no to childrens services. Thereat lessons learnt that it felt like a tick box exercise. They did the follow up appointments, they did chase things up, but they did not really investigate, show the professional curiosity that may have led them to question the religious beliefs of Chevaze Mcgregor, look at him as a potential threat and look at the domestic situation and the terrible flat above. Sindyann regis was interesting. She moved here from jamaica as a child, she never had beef to remain, she was seeking to stay in this coun