ITV has shared first-look images from the upcoming true crime drama Believe Me, boasting an all-star cast. The four-part series will include the likes of Slow Horses' Aimée-Ffion Edwards, Industry's Miriam Petche, A Thousand Blows' Daniel Mays, and Raised by Wolves' Aasiya Shah.
The upcoming series will tell the story of John Worboys (played by Mays), one of the most prolific sex attackers in British history.
Known as the "black-cab rapist", Worboys preyed on women under the guise of being a licensed taxi driver, with police saying he could have attacked more than 100 victims.
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Worboys was convicted in 2009 of attacking 12 women between 2007 and 2008, and in 2019, he was convicted of attacking an additional four women based on incidents that took place in 2000.
A synopsis for the show teases: "The drama focuses on the ordeal of Sarah (Edwards) and Laila (Shah), who reported sexual assaults by Worboys (Mays), and how the Metropolitan Police failed to thoroughly investigate their allegations, leading them to feel that they were just not believed.
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"We see what countless women say they have to go through after reporting being raped, the indignity of multiple interviews and intimate evidence gathering, and how they can face sceptical lines of questioning from the police. For instance, Laila was even asked by an officer if her red nail varnish was indicative of her character."
It continued: "Believe Me will relate how the Met’s failings effectively left Worboys free to commit assaults undetected for many years; following his trial came the realisation that he was linked to allegations of further sexual offences against over a hundred women."
Sarah, whose identity has been protected, said in a statement: "Believe Me is about the courage of every woman who came forward to help put John Worboys behind bars.
"What happened to me changed my life, but in many ways, the hardest part was not being believed for so many years. Without the people who stood by me, Worboys would have been freed and continued to pose a huge risk to women.
"Seeking justice shouldn’t mean more trauma. We shouldn’t have to fight to be believed or feel like we’re the ones on trial. The shame never belongs to the survivor."
Carrie Johnson, who narrowly escaped an assault by Worboys and is played in the show by Petche, added: "I hope Believe Me serves as a wake-up call to the police, the CPS, and the parole board. Far too often, women and girls are failed by the very institutions meant to protect them.
"The treatment of the victims in this case was truly shameful. Reform matters, but what we urgently need above all is a profound shift in culture.
"It takes enormous courage for women to come forward. They must know that when they do, they will be treated seriously and with respect, and that every effort will be made to ensure justice is done."
Believe Me will air on ITV1 and ITVX.
If you've been affected by the issues raised in this story, you can access more information from Rape Crisis England and Wales, which works towards the elimination of all forms of sexual violence and sexual misconduct, on its website or by calling the National Rape Crisis Helpline on 0808 802 9999. Rape Crisis Scotland’s helpline number is 08088 01 03 02.
Readers in the US are encouraged to contact RAINN, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800-656-4673.
