A woman who was attacked by double murderer Simon Levy eight years ago has told the that police and judicial failures turned her personal nightmare into “real life” by allowing him to remain free to kill and attack others. Laura, who has waived her anonymity, reported Levy in 2018 to protect other women, but she now feels deeply betrayed by the criminal justice system that allowed him to continue his violent spree.
Levy was convicted on Friday of murdering Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo and Sheryl Wilkins, alongside the rape of another woman in London in 2025. He is scheduled to be sentenced at the Old Bailey this Wednesday. He was also convicted earlier this year of sexually assaulting 11 other women, 10 of whom were targeted on trains and the London Underground between 2023 and 2025.
Police, prosecutors, and the courts made a series of disastrous decisions that left Levy free to roam the streets. Despite being a registered sex offender monitored by the Metropolitan Police, he went on to attack 14 more women before finally being apprehended. Laura describes Levy as “evil” and notes that his attack “completely changed my life,” forcing her to confront the reality that he was still out preying on vulnerable women.
Reflecting on her initial report, Laura stated: “I feel like when I reported it, I was doing the right thing and I thought I was doing it to protect other women.” She expressed profound grief for the victims and their families, adding: “I feel absolutely devastated for all of those women that have been affected by him – and the families.”
Laura holds the entire criminal justice system accountable, including the Met Police, the courts, and the Crown Prosecution Service. “They’re all as guilty for allowing him to continue to do what he was doing,” she says. She believes that with proper intervention, authorities could have prevented many women from being harmed and stopped two women from losing their lives.
The initial encounter occurred in August 2018 while Laura was traveling to the Notting Hill Carnival on the London Underground. Levy followed her and a friend, eventually subjecting her to a serious sexual assault. Despite her attempts to report the crime, she claims she was initially turned away by officers who stated they were too busy with more urgent matters.
A third officer eventually took her details, but Laura asserts that the officer failed to ensure her safety or search for Levy, even though she and her friend possessed a photograph of him. “There were a lot more things they could have done to make me feel supported,” she says. The Met Police later apologized, stating they regret that the victim felt unsupported and noting that a crime report was created the following day, eventually leading to Levy’s identification and arrest.
It took three years for the case to reach court. In 2021, Levy was convicted of assaulting Laura and another woman he had targeted a month prior. He was sentenced to three years in prison but was released on license, despite having assaulted a prison officer during his incarceration.
Laura discovered that Levy was on trial for murder earlier this year after searching for his name online. “My heart dropped in my stomach when I read that,” she recalled. She was further shocked to learn that Levy had been investigated for an alleged sexual assault in 2017, but was not charged—a decision now viewed as a significant error by both the CPS and the Met.
“Had they charged him in 2017, I may not have even ever had to go to court. I may never have been assaulted, ever,” Laura remarked. She argues that there must be a fundamental societal shift in how authorities address male violence against women and girls.
She emphasizes that officials must conduct a comprehensive review of their procedures to prevent future tragedies. “They need to look at everything, all of it, because they could have prevented so many women from being hurt,” she insisted.
Looking toward the future, Laura hopes her testimony serves as a catalyst for reform. “I hope that other victims in the future will be believed, will be dealt with differently, will be listened to straightaway, and I just hope that there’s change,” she added.
Laura says she forced Levy off and became “hysterical” and started “crying”.
After later being contacted by officers, Laura gave a statement 15 days after the attack, and attended an ID parade the next year.
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He latched onto them and followed them to the carnival.
Action Line: If you have been affected by issues in this story, find out what support is available here.
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