Rubbish defence hall-of-famer

Delroy Grant's DNA was collected from 10 of the crime scenes, often from pensioners who agreed to undergo medical examinations after being raped by the former minicab driver. But when confronted with such evidence, rather than admit to his crimes Grant resorted to a series of increasingly bizarre legal defences. After initially suggesting to police that it might have been his son Delroy Jr who committed the crimes, he later insisted that he was framed by his ex-wife, 53-year-old Janet Watson.

Watson had, he claimed, collected his semen and saliva in 1979, towards the end of their four-year marriage. She had asked, he said, for the body fluids so she could get them tested and check he had not contracted an STD after sleeping with other women.

Grant maintained his wife had pre-empted the scientific advances that, 11 years later, would see DNA evidence used as an investigative tool for the first time. Instead of testing his fluids, he said, she had arranged for an unidentified friend to store the material at Guy's and St Thomas' hospital. Between 1992 and 2009 that same friend had planted the material around south London. [Guardian]