Serial UK sex attacker jailed for life for double murder, rape after police failings

LONDON, Aug 12 - A British serial sex attacker was sentenced to life without parole on Wednesday, after he was convicted of two murders and rape following an escalating spree of sexual offences which police and prosecutors failed to stop.

Simon Levy, 40, was found guilty last week of the murder of Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo in March 2025 and of Sheryl Wilkins in August 2025, as well as the rape and serious assault of a third woman in January that year.

Police had arrested Levy several times for sexual assaults against women on rush-hours trains before he was again arrested on suspicion of murdering Valencia-Trujillo, 53, in April 2025.

But Levy – who, despite convictions dating back to 2018, had been downgraded by police to a medium-risk offender – was released and sexually assaulted five women before he killed Wilkins, 39, in a brutal attack.

Judge Mark Lucraft said Levy was "clearly someone who ruthlessly exploits others for your own personal, sexual satisfaction" as he sentenced him to a whole-life order for the murder of Valencia-Trujillo and Wilkins.

He was also sentenced for two counts of rape, causing grievous bodily harm with intent and intentional strangulation in relation to a third woman. REUTERS