A serial sex offender committed further assaults and ultimately murdered two women after a series of decisions allowed him to remain free, according to a report by the BBC. The system's response to his crimes has been criticized by a victim, who states her nightmare became a reality when authorities failed to prevent him from attacking again.
Simon Levy was convicted of sexually assaulting one woman in 2018, three years after the incident. He was jailed for three years but was released on license. He had also sexually assaulted another woman a month prior to the assault on the first victim. Levy was identified and arrested following the first victim's report, and subsequent inquiries were conducted. The victim provided a statement 15 days after the attack and attended an identification parade the following year.
Levy was later found to be on trial for two murders, a fact the victim discovered by searching his name online. She also learned that Levy had been investigated for allegedly sexually assaulting another woman in 2017 but was not charged at the time. Both the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the Metropolitan Police have since acknowledged that not charging him in 2017 was a mistake. The victim stated that had he been charged then, she might not have been assaulted or had to go to court.
The Metropolitan Police issued an apology, stating, "We are sorry the victim felt unsupported in this case and don't underestimate the impact this incident had on her." They confirmed a crime report was created the day after the assault, and a wide range of inquiries were carried out.
Following these events, the victim expressed a strong desire for societal change in how male violence against women and girls is handled. She emphasized the need for authorities to re-evaluate their processes to prevent harm to more women and to ensure victims are believed, dealt with differently, and listened to immediately. "They could have prevented two women from losing their lives," she said, expressing hope for future change.
Levy's criminal history includes convictions for sexual assault, and he was later found to have committed two murders. The case highlights concerns about the handling of repeat offenders and the impact of systemic failures on victim safety and justice.