How police let a registered sex offender murder and attack women

A registered sex offender identified only as Levy carried out a series of sexual attacks on women travelling on London’s Underground, exposing significant shortcomings in the British Transport Police’s handling of repeat offenders. The first known incident occurred when Levy boarded a crowded Tube train in central London. He positioned himself directly in front of a female passenger, resting his elbow on her shoulder. After she shifted away, he continued to press against her, his hand making contact with her vagina through her clothing. The victim described the pressure as feeling like an attempt to push his fingers inside her. She seized his hand and demanded an explanation, but Levy remained silent. When fellow passengers inquired whether she was unharmed, he protested his innocence, stating, “What are you talking about - look my hand is covered,” while gesturing to the sweater draped over his arm. He then insulted her, calling her “crazy” and “stupid,” before alighting at Westminster Station. The woman exited at the next stop, distressed and in tears. She subsequently reported the assault to the British Transport Police (BTP). CCTV footage captured Levy, yet investigators failed to identify him at the time. It would be two years before he was linked to the offence, after additional women had been targeted. Approximately one year after the initial Tube attack, Levy assaulted three more women in rapid succession and was taken into custody. During this period, the first of those three victims, having herself been assaulted, recorded Levy sexually assaulting a second, unidentified woman in the same carriage. She immediately forwarded the video to BTP and filed a formal complaint. A week later, Levy attacked a third woman. Following questioning, Levy denied all three offences. BTP officers informed him that insufficient evidence existed to press charges, and he was released on bail. The ensuing BTP investigation was marred by delays. Identity parades were not scheduled for several weeks, and the force did not refer the case to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for six months. When BTP finally engaged the CPS in May 2025, prosecutors were forced to devise an emergency charging decision overnight after Levy was re‑arrested and police demanded his appearance in court the following day. Critics noted the anomaly: BTP had been aware of the original offences for half a year. In a public statement, Assistant Chief Constable Charlie Doyle acknowledged the shortcomings: “It is clear that opportunities to expedite the investigation were missed and we have amended our procedures to address these issues to ensure that repeat offenders are dealt with expeditiously and that linked offences are prioritised more effectively.”