The real life Night Stalker....The Manhunter files

 

The real Night Stalker

Two episodes into the Manhunter miniseries on ITV and once again it is compulsive viewing that doesn't sensationalise the real life crimes it portrays, but rather offers a sober matter-of-fact presentation of what was one of the most disturbing cases in British crime history. 

Martin Clunes, previously a comedic actor, plays real-life Detective Chief Inspector Colin Sutton who in his long career sat over a number of high profile cases. Clunes is wearily brilliant in his drawing of the famed DCI.

This time the series is spun around an horrific series of rapes of elderly people that went on for seventeen years, before Delroy Grant, a Jamaican man,  was arrested for the hideous crimes. He was given four life sentences and ordered to serve at least 27 years.

I often have a problem with dramatized true crime stories, as the very nature of dramatizing the events can make them insensitive and sensational, but Manhunter avoids this and at time it feels like the viewer is actually a fly on the wall in the investigation room. 

It's all excellently done...truly addictive viewing.

The remaining two episodes run tonight and tomorrow on ITV and all will be available on the ITV Hub.

CCTV showing Grant visiting at ATM in 2009

Delroy Easton Grant AKA MINSTEAD MAN, AKA THE NIGHT STALKER

Born Jamaica 1957

Charged with carrying out a string of burglaries and rapes between October 1992 and May 2009. He was found guilty of 29 offences  but is believed to have been responsible for many more.

Currently imprisoned at HM Prison Belmarsh.

Grant usually singled out lone elderly women as victims. He was meticulous in planning his crimes. It is believed he placed potential victims under surveillance for some time before carrying out his crimes. He always attacked semi-detached houses and bungalows. Police believe that Grant may have actually attacked more than a thousand women.

When Grant was arrested neighbours and friends couldn't believe that was actually the man who had carried out these terrible crimes, and many thought the police had got it wrong. Many people who knew Grant said he was a loving husband and a full time carer for his disabled wife.

Grant was arrested on Sunday, November 2009 while attempting to commit yet another burglary.