Police apology after rapist who preyed on old cheated capture

Hundreds of victims are feared to have been attacked by Night Stalker Delroy Grant after Metropolitan Police detectives missed a chance to arrest him in 1999.

Although a jury at Woolwich Crown Court yesterday convicted Grant of claiming at least 18 victims, police suspect the true figure may be more than 500.

Many of those targeted during Grant’s 17-year reign of terror were blind, deaf or had conditions including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission said three Met officers – two detective constables and a detective sergeant – had faced misconduct proceedings after it found the investigation was plagued by “basic errors” which had “horrific consequences”.

Between 1992 and 2009 Grant broke into south London homes and subjected elderly men and women to sickening and depraved attacks, which sometimes lasted several hours.

But he was ruled out as a suspect in 1999 after a burglary in Bromley when the DNA of a second man with the same name was confused with his.

Two years later, a friend of Grant called police after recognising an e-fit on the BBC show Crimewatch, but enquiries were not followed up.

Commander Simon Foy, head of the Met’s homicide and serious crime command, apologised to Grant’s victims for failing to stop him in 1999.

Mr Foy said: “We are deeply sorry for the trauma suffered by all those victims and our failure to bring Grant to justice earlier.”

Twice-married Grant, 53, who claimed his own son could have carried out the attacks, was told he could face a life sentence after the jury convicted him of 29 charges by a 10-2 majority.

Judge Peter Rook QC told him: “You have been convicted of 29 offences of the utmost gravity.”