Simon Levy, a man who committed a series of violent sexual assaults and a murder, repeatedly used a stolen bus driver’s travelcard to navigate London’s transport network. This card, which police failed to confiscate on multiple occasions despite his escalating offending, provided him with unrestricted access, allowing him to evade capture and continue his criminal activities for months. Levy’s ability to move freely across the city under the guise of another person’s identity was a critical factor in his prolonged spree.
A Pattern of Offending and Missed Opportunities
Levy’s criminal actions, which included the murder of Sheryl Wilkins and Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo, along with the sexual assault of ten other women, spanned from October 2023 to June of the following year. During this period, he was arrested four times by British Transport Police. However, on each of these occasions, the stolen Oyster card, clearly marked “Bus Operator issued subject to conditions,” was not seized. This oversight allowed Levy to continue using the card, which granted him free and unlimited travel across London’s extensive public transport system.
A spokesperson for British Transport Police acknowledged that officers repeatedly failed to identify the card as stolen. This lapse in procedure has drawn significant criticism. Former Met Detective Chief Inspector David McKelvey commented that if the police were aware of the card and returned it to Levy, they effectively “facilitated his offending.”
The Stolen Travelcard’s Role
The travelcard in question belonged to a bus driver, Phillip Clarke, who reported it lost at Notting Hill Carnival on August 26, 2024. Despite being reported to his manager and Transport for London, the card was not deactivated. Levy came into possession of this card, which then became his key to moving around London undetected.
Levy’s attacks often occurred on crowded Tube trains. Jurors heard how he would brazenly target women, often covering his hands with a poncho, trench coat, or a sweater tied around his waist. His first recorded attack on the transport network was in October 2023, but the majority of his offenses occurred after he obtained the stolen travelcard.
Escalating Attacks and Repeated Arrests
Levy’s pattern of behavior became evident through a series of assaults. On October 21, 2024, he attacked a woman on the Central Line at Stratford, East London, by squeezing her bottom and then pushing his body into her. A week later, he groped another woman on the Central Line, who managed to film him before he fled the train at Liverpool Street. He was arrested by British Transport Police on November 4, 2024, for these two incidents. Despite being bailed, he was allowed to keep the stolen travelcard.
His offending continued. On April 1, 2024, Levy was arrested on suspicion of the murder of Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo, which had occurred 16 days prior. An examination of his travelcard usage at the time would have revealed that he had used it to travel to Elephant and Castle tube station, near where Ms. Valencia-Trujillo was killed. However, he was again released and permitted to retain the card. He subsequently used it to target five more women on crowded trains.
Further assaults included a Victoria Line attack where a woman was groped between the legs, a subsequent assault on a photographer, and a brazen attack on a student on an overland train. Levy was arrested for a third time on May 1, 2024, the same day he attacked the student. At this point, he was charged with five Tube attacks and remanded into custody.
Bail and Continued Freedom
Despite the charges, Levy was released on conditional bail the following day by JPs at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court. The prosecution did not oppose his bail. Astonishingly, the travelcard remained in his possession. He used it for at least one more attack on the Jubilee Line, where he shoved his hand into a woman’s crotch. The victim, who initially thought he was trying to pickpocket her, described him as “excitable, agitated, jittery and acting a bit odd.” She fought back, shouting “pervert” and throwing a can of Coke over him as he fled.
Levy was arrested for a fourth time on June 20, 2024. Yet, the travelcard was still not seized. He was charged with eight Tube sex attacks and one count of breaching his bail conditions. Incredibly, he was released again by Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court, this time after the prosecutor requested he be remanded. Despite his bail breaches, he was allowed to continue using the London Underground, albeit with a rush-hour ban.
Justice and Systemic Failures
The transport network sex offenses ceased after the travelcard was last used on June 16, 2024. It was finally confiscated by homicide detectives when Levy was arrested for the murder of Sheryl Wilkins in September 2024. Levy had a prior history of sexual offenses, having been convicted in 2021 for groping ten women on the Tube and sexually assaulting a prison officer while serving a sentence for two previous sex attacks.
Following the convictions, British Transport Police Detective Superintendent Peter Fulton apologized for the protracted timeline in bringing Levy to justice, stating, “It should have been done much quicker and much more efficiently.” Deputy Assistant Commissioner Kevin Southworth of the Metropolitan Police apologized to the victims and acknowledged a “collective system failure,” emphasizing that “there’s absolutely significant learning for all parties in this case.”
Conclusion
The case of Simon Levy highlights critical failures within the policing and judicial systems that allowed a dangerous offender to continue his attacks for an extended period. The repeated return of a stolen travelcard by law enforcement, coupled with lenient bail decisions, created a pathway for further victimization. The subsequent apologies and acknowledgments of systemic failures underscore the urgent need for improved procedures and accountability to prevent such occurrences in the future.
