Lisa Ramsarran, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Our deepest condolences remain with the families and loved ones of Sheryl Wilkins and Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo, and with the third victim who survived a horrific and violent rape at the hands of Simon Levy. Our team has met with them throughout proceedings and it is clear it has had a devastating effect on them all.

“Nothing can undo the harm caused, but we hope these convictions provide some measure of justice.

“Earlier this year, following a trial, the defendant was also found guilty of sexual offences against a number of other women, most of whom were targeted and assaulted whilst travelling on public transport in London.

“His actions have undoubtedly had a profound and lasting impact on all the victims, and we would like to thank them for coming forward.

“These have been complex and challenging cases that required dedicated prosecutors to work in close collaboration with both the Metropolitan Police and British Transport Police.

“Together, we were able to build a comprehensive and strong picture of all of Levy’s offending. His convictions are the result of that dedicated effort.

“We recognise the level of concern around this case and we have carried out a detailed review of our handling. We accept there was relevant information regarding bail that was not provided to the court, when bail applications were being considered.

“Our actions fell short of the standards that victims, families and the public are entitled to expect. In particular, there were points where we could and should have taken a more robust approach to representations about bail, based on the information available.

“We cannot know what decisions the courts would have made had different or stronger representations been advanced. But we recognise our responsibility and we are sorry for the shortcomings we have identified. We are taking action to strengthen training, case oversight and our approach to bail and risk in serious sexual offence cases.

“These cases were handled in the context of a criminal justice system under significant pressure, including busy court lists, late or incomplete information and the need for swift decisions across agencies. That does not lessen our responsibility for the shortcomings identified, but it is important to set out the circumstances in which they occurred.

“Levy's offending involved appalling violence against women, including those targeted in public spaces and we hope these convictions provide some measure of justice to the victims and their families.”