Accused Night Stalker's ex ridicules frame claims

The ex-wife of accused Night Stalker Delroy Grant told a court today she was left speechless by his "ridiculous" claims she framed him.

Janet Watson, 53, said Grant's allegation that she stored his semen for more than a decade after their split was "unbelievable".

Responding to his defence that she used a white male accomplice to plant Grant's body fluids on burglary victims across south London, Ms Watson told Woolwich Crown Court: "I was speechless, I was amazed that he could do that. I was speechless."

Midway through her testimony, Grant shouted from the dock: "You are a liar."

Jonathan Laidlaw QC, prosecuting, went on to ask her about her understanding of DNA evidence.

"I have no idea about it to this day," she added.

Ms Watson, wearing a black and white dress and glasses, said Grant had initially been a "Prince Charming" to her but their relationship turned "well sour" soon after they were married in the late 1970s.

Ms Watson described how Grant had initially been "really nice, fantastic - a real charmer" on their first encounter outside a pub when they were both 18.

They met after Grant had started talking to her baby daughter.

"He was very softly spoken and really nice," she said.

The relationship moved on very quickly, with Grant quickly moving in with her and proposing.

"I was very happy, I was okay. To me I had found my Prince Charming so that made it even better."

They were married the same year and she fell pregnant with the first of two sons she had with Grant.

But within weeks of the wedding the relationship turned "well sour", she said.

"He made it very clear that it was not going to be a nice time staying with him," she added.

The unhappy relationship continued until she filed for divorce in 1979, the court heard.

Ms Watson subsequently settled down with another man, Gregory Paul, for 28 years until his death in May 2006.

She said it was "beautiful" that she did not come into contact with Grant any more.

"I was in a much better relationship," she told the court. "I was his (Mr Paul's) princess. I got treated very well."

Describing the aftermath of her relationship with Grant, she said she "knew nothing" about where he was or what he was doing.

She added: "I did not want to see him or know he was even alive ... He was away from me, I did not need to know."

When asked about her sexual relationship, Ms Watson said Grant "never used condoms".

During questioning by Courtenay Griffiths QC, for the defence, she confirmed Grant was a "serious womaniser" and said their relationship had been violent.

She denied allegations of a "friend" at Guy's Hospital who gave her specimen bottles for Grant to masturbate into so she could store his semen.

Ms Watson said: "None of this is true... I think his imagination is getting away with him.

"I had no friend working at Guy's."

She added: "I am in no campaign whatsoever. I left him, I ran away ... I do not know what he is talking about. He needs help."

Mr Griffiths told her Grant says she is a "liar".

She replied: "I say he is a storyteller ... I do not know what is wrong with him.

"I did not do that, I was getting on with my life, I had a sick child to look after and I had other children to look after. I had not time to do this."

After Grant's short outburst, Judge Peter Rook QC said: "You be quiet."

Grant is said to have targeted a total of 18 victims in their homes between 1992 and 2009.

Grant, of Brockley Mews, Honor Oak, south London, denies all the offences in Warlingham, Shirley, Beckenham, Bromley, Addiscombe, Orpington and West Dulwich, all in south London.

The case continues.