A British court has sentenced Simon Levy, 40, to a whole-life prison term after he was convicted of murdering two women and raping a third, with police acknowledging systemic failures that allowed his crimes to escalate.
Levy was sentenced on August 12, 2025, at the Old Bailey in London following his conviction for the murder of Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo, 53, in March 2025 and Sheryl Wilkins, 39, in August 2025. He was also found guilty of raping a third woman in January 2025, an attack that occurred in the same location where Wilkins’ body was later discovered.
Judge Mark Lucraft KC, the Recorder of London, imposed the whole-life order, stating Levy had shown a ‘morbid fascination with sex, rape, and crime’ and had ‘ruthlessly exploited’ his victims for personal gratification. The judge sentenced Levy to two additional life terms for the rapes, with minimum terms of 12 years, to be served concurrently with the whole-life order.
Levy’s crimes unfolded while he was repeatedly released on bail despite multiple arrests for sexual assaults on London’s public transport system. Police records indicate he was arrested at least six times for offenses including groping and indecent exposure between 2018 and 2025. In each instance, courts granted bail, allowing him to continue offending.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley acknowledged systemic shortcomings, stating that ‘the criminal justice system needs to do its job better’ and that ‘dangerous offenders are being granted bail day in, day out.’ Rowley emphasized that police had repeatedly sought remand in custody for Levy but that prosecutors and courts continued to release him, despite police warnings about his danger to the public.
Victim impact statements read during the sentencing hearing described the profound trauma inflicted by Levy’s actions. Sheryl Wilkins’ sister, Lindsey Hicks, told the court that Levy had ‘destroyed our lives’ and expressed hope he would ‘rot in prison for the rest of his life.’ The survivor of the January 2025 rape described Levy as a ‘parasite’ who had ‘taken my soul’, adding that she believed she would die during the attack.
Levy’s criminal history includes 13 convictions for sexual assault between 2018 and 2025, with 10 victims being women targeted on London’s transport network. Detectives believe his offending may have begun years earlier, escalating from non-violent assaults to rape and murder. He was also convicted of assaulting a prison officer while incarcerated.
Police and prosecutors have faced criticism over their handling of Levy’s case, with a December 2024 report urging British police to ensure early intervention in predatory behavior cases. Harriet Wistrich, CEO of the Centre for Women’s Justice, described the ‘catalog of combined failures’ as ‘terrifying evidence that our criminal justice system is in a state of collapse.’
Levy showed no visible emotion during the sentencing, wearing sunglasses throughout the hearing. His defense did not present mitigating evidence, and he spoke only to confirm his name. The case has prompted calls for a review of bail policies and greater coordination between police, prosecutors, and courts to prevent repeat offenders from remaining free.
Timeline of Key Events
- 2018: Levy sexually assaults two women near Notting Hill Carnival; one victim reports the crime but is initially turned away by police.
- 2021: Levy is convicted of two counts of sexual assault and sentenced to prison.
- 2023: Levy is released on bail and resumes offending, including multiple assaults on London’s transport network.
- January 2025: Levy rapes and nearly suffocates a third woman in a car park in Tottenham.
- March 2025: Valencia-Trujillo is murdered in a sexually motivated attack in south-east London.
- August 2025: Wilkins is murdered in a similar attack near Tottenham High Road.
- August 7, 2025: Levy is convicted of murder and rape at the Old Bailey.
- August 12, 2025: Levy is sentenced to whole-life imprisonment.