Ex-wife of 'Night Stalker' accused rejects semen claim

Janet Watson said Delroy Grant's claims were "unbelievable"

The former wife of the man accused of the "Night Stalker" sex attacks has told a court his claims that she framed him left her "speechless".

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

He has said she used a male accomplice to plant his bodily fluids on burglary victims across south London.

Mr Grant, 53, denies a series of rapes and sex assaults between 1992 and 2009.

Responding to her ex-husband's claims that she used an accomplice to plant his bodily fluids, Ms Watson told Woolwich Crown Court: "I was speechless, I was amazed that he could do that."

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

'Prince Charming'

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

"I have no idea about it to this day," she told the court.

During questioning by Courtenay Griffiths QC, for the defence, Ms Watson said Mr Grant was a "serious womaniser" and explained that their relationship had been violent.

She denied having a "friend" at Guy's Hospital who gave her specimen bottles in which she could store Mr Grant's 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 told the court: "He needs help... 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."

Ms Watson said her ex-husband had initially been a "Prince Charming" to her but their relationship turned "well sour" soon after they were married in the late 1970s.

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

The relationship moved on very quickly, Ms Watson told the court, with Mr Grant quickly moving in with her and proposing.

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

She soon became pregnant with the first of two sons she had with Mr Grant but within weeks of their wedding the relationship turned sour.

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

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

Ms Watson went on to settle down with another man, Gregory Paul, for 28 years until his death in May 2006.

"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 Mr Grant, she said she "knew nothing" about where he was or what he was doing.

Mr Grant, of Honor Oak in south London, is alleged to have targeted a total of 18 victims in their homes between 1992 and 2009.

He denies 29 charges against him.

The case continues.