Delroy Easton Grant - Modus Operandi

Modus Operandi

Grant gained entry to the homes of his victims from the side or the rear, either through open windows or by removing a window pane entirely. He had been known to use tools stolen from the victim's own garden shed to remove the window beading. He ripped out the telephone wires, either before entering the property, or after gaining access. He then disabled the lights either by switching off the electricity at the meter or by unscrewing lightbulbs from their sockets.

He then approached his victim, shining a torch in her eyes. Often his first words were to demand sex. However, he had been known to spend hours in victims’ homes either before or without assaulting them. He had been described perversely as exhibiting tenderness, sometimes gently kissing his victims on the cheek. He had exhibited a knowledge of geriatrics, knowing how to support his elderly victim’s spine and how to pick them up from the elbow. He had sometimes been shamed into leaving without committing a sexual assault when his victim has chastised him. Of particular note is an incident where one victim caused him to apologise and leave by angrily demanding "What would your mother think of you?" He has been known to take a victim’s pulse, and has said: "I’m really sorry. I won’t do this again." Police have speculated that the rapist is ashamed of his actions, perhaps explaining the long period that sometimes occurs between offences. Despite this, he could be extremely violent. During his most violent attack on 5 August 1999, he raped his victim twice and left her bleeding from a perforated bowel, in which her injuries were nearly fatal.

He had been known to burgle his victims but this was not his primary motive. He often took money but only small amounts. He has taken credit cards and obtained their PINs from his victims but there has never been any record of him using them. In 2004 he stole a wad of five pound notes but these were later discovered thrown away a mile and a half from his victim’s house. He had also taken jewellery. The same year he told a victim that his mother had died four years earlier, stating that “the Government let her down anyway”.

He has struck on all days of the week but most often during the early hours of a Friday or Saturday morning.

Detectives strongly believed that he rode a motorbike.