Aggregated News

As Delroy Grant, 53, was convicted yesterday of 29 counts of rape, sexual assault and burglary, the Metropolitan Police said it was "deeply sorry" for not arresting him in 1999 when his car was spotted at the scene of an attack and a detective called at his home.

A combination of mistakes by three detectives, including confusing him with a different Delroy Grant, meant that instead of being arrested, Grant was eliminated as a suspect for the Night Stalker attacks.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission said "horrific consequences" had flowed from the mistakes. Three officers were given "words of advice", a minor punishment after disciplinary proceedings.

The son of Grant's last victim said the blunders had blighted the remaining years of his father's life. "Grant being at large for so long meant he was able to offend again and again," said the man, whose 88-year-old father was indecently assaulted in August 2009.

"To eliminate someone from the inquiry who shouldn't have been eliminated, and then not go back and double-check, is a worrying error."

Grant's arrest in November 2009 came...