London cabbie rapist John Worboys, who was convicted of rape and several sexual assaults, is to be released from prison.
He carried out the attacks, which involved using alcohol and drugs to stupefy his victims, between 2002 and 2008. He was jailed indefinitely in 2009.
Police later linked Worboys, a former stripper who appeared in adult films, to more than 100 rapes and sexual assaults after more alleged victims came forward.
In a statement, the Parole Board said: "We can confirm that a three-member panel of the Parole Board has directed the release of Mr John Worboys, following an oral hearing.
"The arrangements for Mr Worboys' release will be managed by the Ministry of Justice."
When he was sentenced, Worboys was told he must serve at least eight years in prison and that he would not be released until parole officials were convinced he no longer posed a threat to women.
According to a government website, an indeterminate sentence can be given if a court feels the offender is a danger to the public.
The serial offender, now 60 years old, was found guilty of assaulting 12 women during an 18-month period in the capital.
Many of the women who were targeted by Worboys during his reign of terror had been drinking in trendy West End and Chelsea bars.
He would offer them champagne spiked with powerful sedatives to celebrate a made-up lottery win, which he would attempt to prove by showing his victims a carrier bag stuffed with cash.
The cab driver would then pounce on his victims in the back of his vehicle as they were left insensible and unable to protect themselves.
One of his victims, whose identity is protected, told Sky News: "I feel shaken up and very upset at the decision."
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And the chief executive of Rape Crisis South London has criticised the decision to release Worboys, saying his victims would "never be totally free from his despicable actions".
Yvonne Traynor added: "It feels far too soon for this dangerous and manipulative perpetrator to be released into the public having served this woefully short time in prison."
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