Simon Levy Convicted of Murders Amid Systemic Failures
Repeated bail grants and investigative lapses preceded the killings of Carmenza Valencia Trujillo and Sheryl Wilkins.
Sarah Connor
Simon Levy has been found guilty of two murders and a rape by a jury at the Old Bailey.
Scotland Yard downgraded Levy's risk to women upon his 2024 release; this decision is now under investigation by the police watchdog. The Metropolitan Police closed its investigation into a rape carried out by Levy in January 2025.
The January rape victim was not interviewed about the attack until eight months later. Carmenza Valencia Trujillo was found dead in a block of flats on the Aylesbury Estate in March 2025.
The Met did not classify Carmenza Valencia's death as a murder until after Levy had killed again. Sheryl Wilkins was discovered behind a car park wall in Tottenham five months after Valencia Trujillo.
British Transport Police's (BTP) investigation into Levy's sexual assaults was delayed; he was not charged for over six months despite being filmed during an attack. The Met and BTP returned a stolen travel card to Levy, enabling him to travel and commit crimes, including the first murder.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) also acted too slowly in prosecuting Levy. Judge Christopher Hehir refused to impose a Sexual Harm Prevention Order on Levy, deeming the draft order too broad.
Kevin Southworth stated, "There’s a collective system failure here, which has left Levy free to go on offending in this awful manner and and left these victims at risk from his prolific offending, and that’s something which ourselves and colleagues across the criminal justice system will need to reflect on."
Southworth further described Levy's behavior as "self-evidently that of a very prolific serial sexual predator who seeks his sexual gratification in a number of ways." Levy lived with his mother, Marcia Clark, in Tottenham, north London, after a spell in approved premises in Southwark, south London.
Police analyzed his internet search history after his arrest; he was obsessed with sex and interested in Andrew Tate. The Metropolitan Police is carrying out an internal review of the case and has made improvements in sharing information about registered sex offenders with other forces.
Two Metropolitan Police officers are under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC); a police constable has been served a gross misconduct notice, and a detective sergeant has been served a misconduct notice. The IOPC is examining whether action could or should have been taken to prevent Levy's reoffending.
The Metropolitan Police accepts the life of Sheryl Wilkins could have been saved and has apologized to her family.