The Metropolitan Police could have fundamentally done better in the case of Simon Levy, commissioner Mark Rowley tells the BBC.

Rowley says the force has apologised for its part in the case, which has had "really tragic consequences".

The commissioner describes it is a "whole system failing", criticising the decision of the courts and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to bail Levy.

He adds: "We are seeing far too many cases day in and day out, knife carrier sex offenders who have been bailed when a few years ago they have been remanded in custody."

• For context, the CPS, Metropolitan Police and British Transport Police have all previously admitted failings around the case. The CPS said its actions "fell short" of its standards - and in particular "we could and should have taken a more robust approach to representations about bail, based on the information available"

Image source, PA Media

Former safeguarding minister Jess Phillips tells the BBC there has been a "litany of failures" against women and girls in this case.

Reacting to Simon Levy's sentencing, Phillips tells BBC Radio 4's World at One programme the second murder could have been avoided.

• For context, Levy was arrested on suspicion of murder after killing Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo. He was released under investigation. He is then arrested again for a series of sexual assaults on London trains - but is later bailed

"You can't help but conclude that certainly in the case of the second murder, I feel I can categorically say it could have been avoided had the state not failed", she says.

Phillips adds: "Of course it was Levy who undertook that action, but the state could definitely have prevented it so it has to bare that responsibility."

The Labour MP says "an idiot could have seen that [Levy was a risk]."

Cachella Smith
Reporting from court

Image source, Metropolitan Police

As my colleague Elliot just reported, family members of the two murder victims attended court today to listen as Simon Levy was sentenced.

Sheryl Wilkins' sister, Lindsey Hicks, addressed Levy directly - telling him he had "destroyed" lives.

She spoke emotionally of having to use public transport to travel to court to listen to proceedings - the same setting in which Levy is now known to have attacked other women.

In a prepared statement, Sheryl's mother called his not guilty plea "cowardly" and added she feels "completely broken" - while Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo's daughter's voice broke a number of times as she told the court her mum had been a "beautiful woman inside and out".

The surviving victim had written a statement that was read out by a member of the prosecution team. Explaining how she was working to get her life back on track, she said Levy had taken her "soul" and her "dignity" - she is now working to "try and forget this monster".

The family members in court were at times emotional but appeared determined to listen one final time to the horrible details of the attacks on their loved ones.

Elliot Burrin
Reporting from court

Serial sex offender Simon Levy showed no emotion as he was sentenced to life in prison for the murders of two women and the violent rape of a third.

Throughout proceedings, family members and those sat in the public gallery were visibly emotional, wiping their eyes with tears and covering their mouths. When the judge delivered the sentence, family members audibly gasped.

The distressing impact of Levy's crimes were evident throughout the hearing as statements were read out to the court.

Lindsey Hicks, the sister of victim Sheryl Wilkins, spoke through tears and deep breaths as she said Levy had "destroyed our lives".

Nazly Fuenmayor Valencia, the daughter of Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo, said there was an emptiness that couldn’t be filled after her mother’s life was “taken so cruelly”.

Killer Simon Levy showed no reaction, staring intently forward as the judge's sentencing remarks were delivered.

Image source, Julia Quenzler

Simon Levy has just been taken out of the courtroom, having been sentenced for the murders of Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo and Sheryl Wilkins, and the violent rape of a third surviving victim.

Here's what we heard in court.:

• Levy was sentenced to a whole life order, and concurrent life sentences for the other charges he was found guilty of - this means he will never leave prison
• In his sentencing remarks, Judge Mark Lucraft KC described Levy's "morbid fascination" with sex, crime and rape - and highlighted the "striking similarity" between the two murders, something he said was "deeply troubling"
• The judge told Levy that he was "clearly someone who ruthlessly exploits others", noting that he committed his attacks against vulnerable women

• Lucraft also praised the "considerable courage" of Levy's surviving victim in coming to court to give evidence against him
• We also heard moving impact statements from the victims' families. Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo's daughter remembered her mother as "a beautiful woman inside and out", while Sheryl Wilkins' sister told Levy that he had "destroyed our lives"

Delivering Levy's sentence, judge Mark Lucraft KC said he was "acutely aware that whole life terms are sentences that should be considered for rare cases".

But in this case "the starting point has to be a whole life order", he said.

In his judgement, the judge said aggravating features outweigh any mitigating features and "this cannot be described in any way as a borderline case".

The judge said: "You will be in prison for life and there will be a whole life order."

Returning briefly to the judge's sentencing remarks.

The judge talked about the victim impact statements read to court earlier.

Referencing the surviving victim, the judge said it takes "considerable courage" for her to come to court and give evidence as she did, adding that it is "far from easy".

He said there was a psychological, mental and physical and financial impact as a result of Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo's murder - adding that her daughter said her mother had come to the UK to give her children a better life.

The judge also referred to the sister of Sheryl Wilkins - who spoke of the "destruction" to their lives as a cause of Levy's actions - and that Sheryl will be kept alive through the "memories and stories of her".

Cachella Smith
Reporting from court

The judge has just finished sentencing Simon Levy - here's a recap of the sentence he just handed down:

For the two murders Levy received whole life orders,meaning he must spend the rest of his life in prison.

For the two rape charges he received life imprisonment with a minimum term of 12 years. These sentences will run concurrently.

The other charges - grievous bodily harm with intent, and non-fatal suffocation - were considered within the context of the sentences for the rapes, and therefore did not result in a separate sentence.

Elliot Burrin
Reporting from court

Simon Levy is escorted out of the court.

His face shows no visible emotion as he stands up and leaves the dock.

The judge then adjourns proceedings. Family members stand up and talk to one another before slowly filing out.

That marks the end of Levy's sentencing - we'll bring you the rest of the judge's comments shortly.

Amy Johnston
Reporting from court

Both families are gripping each others hands as they listen to the final sentence being read out.

Elliot Burrin
Reporting from court

A family member in the court gasps aloud, saying "yes", as the judge says the starting point for the sentence is a whole life order.

Upstairs in the public gallery, a woman is in tears and others are holding their hands as the judge continues to deliver the sentencing.

Simon Levy has been sentenced to a whole life order.

He is also sentenced to concurrent life sentences for the other charges he was found guilty of.

The judge is still going through the details of his sentence - you can watch live at the top of the page.

The "striking similarity" between the deaths of Valencia-Trujillo and Wilkins is "deeply troubling", says judge Mark Lucraft KC.

The concern is "more stark" when the three attacks are "seen alongside the material" that authorities found on Levy's phone and computer, Lucraft says.

This material revealed a "clear interest" in sex, and in particular rape and crime - with the judge telling Levy that he "appears to have a morbid fascination" with these things.

Levy has "significant convictions for sexual offences upon women", the judge adds.

The judge says Levy was arrested on 1 April 2025 and was interviewed about the murder of Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo, but that he made not comment in response to all questions.

He says he met with Sheryl Wilkins on 24 August that year, with the pair seen on CCTV going to the same car park that the attack in January took place.

He adds that Levy was seen leaving the area 50 minutes later, with Sheryl's body being found later by police.

The judge says Sheryl had "no fewer than 83" areas of injury or marks, including on her head and upper body.

He adds that the pathologist was unable to give her cause of death - and some injuries on her body were not caused on the night, while the toxicology report revealed a history of drug use.

Judge Mark Lucraft KC moves on to 16 March 2025, when he met the second victim, Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo.

There is CCTV footage of her walking in London, which are the last sightings of her alive.

Levy is seen several times on CCTV footage, later that day making his way to Elephant and Castle tube station.

About 24 hours later, on 17 March 2025, a 999 call was made and the police alerted to an unresponsive female who was found in a stairwell at Wendover House. Carmenza was found lying face down. She was wearing a jacket and several layers of clothing, "her trouser bottoms were not fully pulled up".

The post mortem could not give a cause of death, but the pathologist showed numerous injuries, some of which were recent and were to the head, neck, torso, upper and lower limbs.

There was also bruising to the neck. Toxicology revealed Carmenza had taken cocaine, he says.

Examination confirmed DNA from the blood matched Levy's DNA and forensic examination showed DNA from semen matching his, the judge adds.

Cachella Smith
Reporting from court

Delivering his remarks this afternoon, the judge speaks softly. Tapping can be heard from the press benches as they type into their laptops to take down his comments.

Family members of the victims are seated on the judge's left hand side.

As Lucraft goes through the particulars of the crimes, some of the family members become visibly emotional and can be seen grabbing tissues from a box placed nearby.

Some of the details are particularly distressing.

In the public gallery, which is completely full, people are leaning forward to hear the him.

Some have their hands covering their faces in shock as they are listening to the description of Levy’s attacks - in the dock, he does not react.

Judge Mark Lucraft KC starts his remarks by stating the offences which Levy was found guilty of on Friday - two counts of rape, grievous bodily harm with intent, intentional suffocation and two murders.

The offences reflect "a series of attacks by you upon vulnerable women" who undertook sex work due to drug addiction, he says.

Levy is "clearly someone who ruthlessly exploits others for your own personal satisfaction", the judge says.

He outlines the attack on the surviving victim in January 2025.

The judge says while raping the surviving victim, Levy fractured her right shoulder and "strangled her to such an extent that she become unconscious".

Elliot Burrin
Reporting from court

Judge Mark Lucraft KC is now addressing the defendant, Simon Levy.

Levy is sitting in the dock, surrounded by three prison officers. He is staring intently forward, looking directly at the judge.

Family members in the court are glued to the judge as his begins his remarks - some are sitting close to one another and a couple appear emotional.

Cachella Smith
Reporting from court

A few people left the court very briefly as the judge retired.

But it was only a couple of minutes before they were called back to their seats.

Judge Mark Lucraft KC is now back in his seat - and he begins his sentencing comments. You can watch live at the top of the page.

Elliot Burrin
Reporting from court

Throughout the emotional victim impact statements, defendant Simon Levy sat still and stared straight ahead.

Now, he is glancing around the courtroom, still wearing sunglasses. He is surrounded by three prison officers.

Shortly the judge will deliver his sentence. You'll be able to watch live at the top of the page.