Simon Levy has been given a whole-life term after being convicted of murdering two women and raping another, bringing renewed scrutiny to serious failures by police and prosecutors that left the repeat sex offender free to continue attacking women.
The 40-year-old was sentenced at the Old Bailey on 12 August 2026 after being found guilty of murdering Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo, 53, and Sheryl Wilkins, 39. He was also convicted of the rape and serious assault of another woman who survived. A whole-life order means Levy is not expected to be released from prison.
The case has generated particular anger because Levy had a long history of sexual offending and had repeatedly come to the attention of authorities. He was even released after being arrested on suspicion of Valencia-Trujillo’s murder, before going on to commit further offences and murder Wilkins months later.
What Was Simon Levy Convicted Of?
Levy was convicted following a trial at the Old Bailey of the murders of Valencia-Trujillo and Wilkins, along with offences against a third woman who cannot be named for legal reasons.
Valencia-Trujillo was found dead at a property on the Aylesbury Estate in Walworth, south-east London, on 17 March 2025. Levy was arrested on suspicion of her murder on 1 April but was released while further enquiries continued.
Wilkins was killed five months later, on 24 August 2025, in Tottenham, north London. At the time, Levy was still at liberty despite the earlier murder investigation and his extensive history of sexual offending.
The surviving woman had been violently attacked and raped in January 2025. Prosecutors told the court that Levy targeted women he considered vulnerable and believed he could attack without facing consequences.
What Does a Whole-Life Order Mean?
A whole-life order is the most severe sentence available for murder in England and Wales.
Unlike an ordinary life sentence, there is no minimum tariff after which the offender can normally apply for release on parole. In practical terms, Levy is expected to spend the rest of his life in prison.
Whole-life orders are reserved for exceptionally serious crimes. Before Levy’s sentence, only around 75 prisoners in England and Wales were serving such terms, according to reporting on the case.
The severity of the sentence reflects not only the two murders but also Levy’s pattern of violent sexual offending.
A Long History of Sexual Offending
One of the most disturbing aspects of the case is how many warning signs existed before the murders.
Levy’s convictions for sexual offences stretched back for years. In September 2021, he was convicted of sexual assault and assault by penetration for offences committed in 2018.
He was jailed, but his offending did not stop.
While in prison, Levy sexually assaulted a female prison officer in 2022. After his release, he committed further sexual assaults against women on London’s transport network between 2023 and 2025.
The history raises a difficult question at the heart of the case: how was such a persistent offender repeatedly able to remain free?
Police and Prosecution Failures Under Scrutiny
The answer involves a series of failures across different parts of the criminal justice system.
The Metropolitan Police, British Transport Police and Crown Prosecution Service have acknowledged errors in their handling of Levy.
Reporting on the case indicates that delays and mistakes affected the handling of earlier sexual offences. His risk level was also downgraded despite his history, and opportunities to remove him from the streets were missed.
These were significant administrative problems.
They occurred while Levy continued offending.
Most seriously, after his April 2025 arrest on suspicion of murdering Valencia-Trujillo, Levy was released while the investigation continued. He subsequently attacked more women and murdered Wilkins.
Why Was Levy Released After the First Murder Arrest?
When Valencia-Trujillo was found dead, the initial post-mortem examination was unable to establish a cause of death.
Police arrested Levy on suspicion of murder on 1 April 2025. He was subsequently released under investigation while further tests and enquiries were carried out.
That decision became devastatingly significant when Levy later killed Wilkins.
It is important, however, to distinguish between the legal principle that an arrest does not itself establish guilt and the wider questions raised by Levy’s known history, risk assessment and other alleged or proven offences.
The controversy is therefore not simply that police released a murder suspect. It concerns whether agencies have properly considered the combined pattern of ‘Contact Us’ behaviour and risk presented by a repeat sexual offender.
The Victims at the Centre of the Case
The institutional failures are important, but they should not overshadow the women harmed by Levy.
Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo was 53 years old. Sheryl Wilkins was 39.
The third woman survived an extremely serious attack and later provided evidence against Levy. The court heard that she had been trafficked into the UK and was particularly vulnerable.
The women Levy targeted were vulnerable, and prosecutors argued that this vulnerability was part of his predatory behaviour.
Their circumstances made the crimes against them more serious. If anything, the case raises uncomfortable questions about whether vulnerable women receive the protection they should when reporting violence and sexual offences.
Survivor’s Evidence Helped Bring Levy to Justice
The surviving victim played an important role in the prosecution.
She had been attacked months before the two murders and was able to provide evidence of Levy’s behaviour. According to evidence presented during the trial, she correctly identified where he lived and later selected him from a police identification procedure.
Her evidence helped prosecutors demonstrate similarities between the attacks.
At sentencing, she described the devastating impact Levy’s violence had on her life and called him a “monster.”
Officers Face Investigation
Accountability has now become another major part of the story.
Police officers are facing investigation over aspects of the handling of Levy, while the Metropolitan Police has carried out a review of what went wrong.
The case raises broader questions about how repeat sexual offenders are assessed and monitored, especially when different police forces, prosecutors, and courts are handling separate offences involving the same individual.
Information may exist within the system, but it is only useful if agencies connect it quickly enough to understand the level of risk an offender presents.
London Mayor Condemns the Failures
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has criticised the failures surrounding the case and the missed opportunities to prevent Levy’s continued offending.
The criticism reflects a wider concern about violence against women and girls and whether criminal justice agencies respond effectively enough to repeat offenders.
The Levy case is particularly troubling because his offending did not suddenly escalate without warning.
There was an established history.
There were previous convictions.
There were further allegations.
There were arrests.
And yet he remained able to attack women.
Could the Murders Have Been Prevented?
It is impossible to reconstruct with certainty what would have happened under different circumstances. However, the acknowledged failures inevitably raise questions about whether later offences could have been prevented had earlier cases been handled differently.
Levy was already a convicted sex offender. He continued offending after leaving prison and came repeatedly to the attention of law enforcement.
By the time Wilkins was murdered, Levy had also been arrested in connection with Valencia-Trujillo’s death.
The focus now will be on identifying exactly where the system failed and determining whether procedures need to change to prevent similar cases.
Why This Case Matters Beyond Simon Levy
The significance of the case extends beyond one offender.
Police forces routinely have to assess suspects based on separate incidents, allegations and convictions. A series of offences that might seem individually manageable can reveal a far more serious pattern when examined together.
The Levy case demonstrates the potential consequences when that pattern is not acted upon effectively.
It also reinforces the importance of taking reports involving vulnerable victims seriously. People affected by addiction, homelessness, trafficking or sex work can face substantial barriers when dealing with authorities.
Their vulnerability should increase the urgency of protecting them—not reduce the credibility attached to their experiences.
Conclusion
The Simon Levy whole-life term ensures that one of Britain’s most dangerous sexual offenders will not return to the streets.
Levy was convicted of murdering Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo and Sheryl Wilkins, as well as raping and violently attacking another woman. His crimes followed years of sexual offending and repeated contact with the criminal justice system.
But his imprisonment does not end the questions raised by the case.
The Metropolitan Police, British Transport Police and Crown Prosecution Service have all faced scrutiny over failures that allowed Levy to remain at liberty despite mounting evidence of the danger he posed.
The most important issue now is accountability: understanding how those failures occurred, learning from them and ensuring that warnings about repeat violent and sexual offenders are acted upon before more lives are lost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Simon Levy?
Simon Levy is a 40-year-old convicted serial sex offender who was found guilty of murdering two women in London and raping and seriously assaulting another.
Who did Simon Levy murder?
He murdered Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo, 53, and Sheryl Wilkins, 39, in separate attacks during 2025.
What sentence did Simon Levy receive?
Levy received a whole-life order, meaning he is expected to spend the rest of his life in prison without release on parole.
Was Simon Levy already known to police?
Yes. He had previous sexual-offence convictions and had repeatedly come to the attention of police before the murders.
Was Levy on bail when he murdered Sheryl Wilkins?
Yes. He had previously been arrested in connection with Valencia-Trujillo’s murder and was at liberty when he later murdered Wilkins.
Are police being investigated?
Yes. The handling of Levy has prompted investigations and reviews following acknowledged failures by criminal justice agencies.
