An elderly victim of a man dubbed the Night Stalker said "oh hello, we meet again," believing him to be the same man that burgled him a month earlier, a jury heard today.

Delroy Grant, of Brockley Mews, Brockley, is accused of a string of sex attacks and burglaries on elderly men and women across south east London over a period of 17 years.

The 53-year-old is alleged to have carried out 29 offences relating to 18 separate incidents between 1992 and 2009.

Jurors at Woolwich Crown Court were told that one of his male victims, who is still alive, heard a noise in his garden at 2am on August 17, 2009 and went to investigate.

After he checked the window and door locks he went to return to bed, turned on the stairs and saw a black clothed man wearing a balaclava standing on the stairs.

He said: "I spoke to my son and I realised it was wrong of me to start investigating myself.

"If I had phoned the police straight away the intruder may have been caught.

"I wasted so much time checking the windows."

It is then alleged that Grant motioned the man to go into his bedroom, helped him undress, then sexually assaulted him.

The man said: "I thought he was going to murder me.

"I was praying for a quick death.

"But no, he started putting his hands around me, on my back, on my shoulders.

"Only then I realised it was probably sexual."

The man then described how his attacker sexually assaulted him before leading him downstairs, partially clothed, to his study.

He said: "I think he said put your clothes on.

"We went downstairs to my study, which is in the living room.

"He motioned me to sit at my desk."

It is then alleged Grant demanded money from the man and when he only received £15 demanded more.

The man took out his purse and gave him another £40 but his attacker also took his bank card.

The prosecution then say Grant tried to use the card at a cash point, a petrol station and an off-licence close to the home he shared with his disabled wife.

Former minicab driver Grant denies 16 charges of burglary, two of attempted burglary, three rapes, one attempted rape, six indecent assaults and one sexual assault.

The trial continues.