Police investigators closed a rape case just months before the suspect, Simon Levy, allegedly went on to murder two women. The Old Bailey has heard that the initial sexual assault occurred in the same car park where one of the murder victims was later found.
Levy, 40, is accused of a violent sexual attack on a trafficked sex worker in January of last year, an assault in which the victim suffered a broken collarbone. Prosecutors allege he subsequently murdered Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo, 53, in March, and Sheryl Wilkins, 39, in August.
The alleged rape took place in a B&M car park in Tottenham, north London. Ms. Wilkins' body was discovered in the same location.
According to the court proceedings, the alleged victim reported the rape four days after the incident. However, she was unable to be interviewed by police at that time because she was experiencing drug withdrawal. The homeless woman, whose identity is protected for legal reasons, reportedly had a daily addiction to crack cocaine and heroin costing approximately £150.
On June 8 of last year, the rape investigation was closed by police, who stated they had not interviewed the woman about the assault. Detective Sergeant Nina Muchamore, attached to a unit specializing in serious sexual offenses, explained the circumstances leading to this decision. She testified that the victim had initially reported the assault happened the night before, but was unclear about the exact timing. When another officer attempted to interview her at Wood Green Police Station, she was too unwell due to heroin withdrawal to provide further details.
"Very little" could be done investigation-wise regarding the rape, Det Sgt Muchamore told jurors, explaining that the precise timing of the incident was crucial for collecting CCTV and forensic evidence. She noted that the B&M car park had limited CCTV coverage. "We managed about 150 rape investigations so in order to prioritise we would need more to know exactly what we are looking for," she added.
Det Sgt Muchamore visited the woman in her cell on January 26, finding her to be "very listless" and unwell, having vomited on the floor. The woman was not deemed fit to consent to the recovery of forensic evidence. After appearing in court for an unrelated matter, she was released. As she had no fixed address, police were unable to track her. Efforts by the police team to arrange a meeting with her through social services were unsuccessful.
On May 16, a colleague learned the woman had been arrested again and was being held at Colindale police station. Due to late notification, she was released before investigators could speak with her about the rape allegation. A letter was left for her to contact the police. On May 28, another officer spoke with her, and she declined to provide further information.
When asked by prosecutor Kerry Broome if the police believed they had made all possible efforts, the officer responded, "It was felt we had made significant attempts to try to speak to (the woman) and at that time we felt it was not the right time for her to support an investigation."
In early September, after Ms. Wilkins' body was discovered, Sergeant Gemma Claydon spoke with the alleged rape victim. Upon hearing about the murder in the B&M car park and an arrest, the woman reportedly said, "I knew it. He strangled me. He lived off White Hart Lane."
Sgt Claydon stated she did not know much about the original rape allegation, other than that the murder investigation team believed it was connected. She explained she did not record this conversation on her body camera, saying, "Sex workers don't trust police officers who put body worn [cameras] in their faces." The woman subsequently provided a video statement and was placed in supported accommodation.
Levy, of Beaufoy Road, Tottenham, has pleaded not guilty to the murders of the two women. He also denies two charges of rape, grievous bodily harm with intent, and non-fatal suffocation against the surviving woman. The prosecution noted that Levy has previous convictions for sexual assault, including two in 2018 and 11 counts after a trial earlier this year. The trial is ongoing at the Old Bailey.