Dangerous criminals including sex offenders are released daily, top cop warns – after blunders left killer free to roam

DANGEROUS criminals including vile sex offenders are being released on bail every day, Britain’s top cop has warned. Metropolitan Police chief Sir Mark Rowley admitted his force “could have done better” after serial killer Simon Levy was allowed to roam the streets. Rowley admitted his force ‘could have done better’ after killer Levy was free to roam the streets Credit: PA The Met Police chief warned dangerous criminals including vile sex offenders are being released on bail every day Credit: Getty Levy, 40, unleashed a sadistic rampage across London last year during which he murdered two women and raped a third while on bail. He was jailed for life yesterday after killing Carmenza Valencia Trujillo, 53, and Sheryl Wilkins, 39, amid a string of missed chances to stop him. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Two officers, a police constable and a detective sergeant at the Met are now being probed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). While accepting his force’s failings in the case, Rowley slammed the justice system for putting dangerous lags “back on the streets”. Levy was jailed for life yesterday after killing Carmenza Valencia Trujillo Credit: Reuters He also murdered Sheryl Wilkins after a string of failings from cops and the courts Credit: Reuters He vowed the Met would do “everything we can do”, but accused the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) of ignoring police warnings over Levy. Rowley told BBC’s Today programme: “He was repeatedly, by the police, put before the courts seeking remanding in custody. “The police were saying this guy is too dangerous to be on the streets, and between [the CPS] and the courts, they kept bailing him. “We’re seeing far too many cases day in and day out – knife carriers, sex offenders – who are being bailed. Most read in The Sun “A few years ago, they would have been remanded in custody, and we can’t carry all of that load in communities. “We will do everything we can do to do better – but the justice system needs to carry more of the load than it is at the moment rather than passing it back onto the streets.” Rowley described the situation as a “whole system failing”, after Levy was previously jailed for groping two women at music festivals in 2018. He was caged for three years in September 2021 over the attacks, but was released from prison in February 2023. Rowley described the situation as a ‘whole system failing’ Credit: PA Levy remained free to strike repeatedly, despite continually coming to the attention of the law Credit: PA Levy was subject to a sexual offenders’ order and should have been carefully monitored – but was instead left free to kill and assault. The killer remained free to strike repeatedly, despite continually coming to the attention of the law. Following his release from jail, Levy was arrested on suspicion of murder and twice charged with groping women on the Tube, but freed each time. He also failed to appear at three crown court hearings over the sexual assaults on trains – but no warrant was ever sought for his arrest. Levy killed Carmenza, before dumping her body in the stairwell of a derelict building in Peckham, South East London, on March 17 last year. Five months later, he murdered Sheryl near a B&M store in Tottenham, North London. The Met had previously closed the investigation from the January rape, despite the victim knowing where Levy lived. And officers did not formally interview her until after he had carried out the double murder. By the time of the second murder, Levy had been arrested three times by the British Transport Police for a string of sex attacks on the Tube. But the serial sex attacker was granted bail each time. He was also arrested over Carmenza’s murder but was released under investigation – leaving him free to kill again. The Metropolitan Police, British Transport Police and Crown Prosecution Service admitted failings in how they dealt with Levy.