A STALKER who styled himself as one of the most dangerous men in East Yorkshire has been locked up to protect the public.
For 15 years, Nigel Grunnill terrorised an east Hull woman he went on just three dates with, plotting to murder her on his release from prison.
Despite being in and out of jail for harassing the woman and breaching restraining orders, his fixation with her spiralled out of control.
In the latest chilling threat, Grunnill bragged: "Murder changes everything and will happen in time. I guarantee that will happen – just a case of when.
"I'm one of the top, most dangerous people in Humberside. Nothing will stop me."
Now, Grunnill has been sentenced to a hospital order with a restriction after a judge deemed he poses a risk to the public.
He can only be released when the Home Secretary rules he is safe to return to society, although a restraining order has banned him from east Hull for life.
Two psychiatrists from the Humber Centre argued Grunnill did not pose a risk but Judge Simon Jack, sitting at Hull Crown Court, overruled them.
He told Grunnill: "I find that a safeguard is necessary in your case for the protection of the public from serious harm from you."
Grunnill, 37, has been given an indefinite restraining order to stay away from his victim Claire Gray but has already breached it six times.
In 2005, he was jailed for eight years for threatening to kill her and trying to hire a hitman.
Just weeks before he was due to be released, Grunnill, formerly of Queens Road, west Hull, made repeated threats to kill his victim again to three probation officers.
Grunnill told the officers: "I don't dwell on things, other than Claire. If I found her family were in prison, I would break into the prison to get to them.
"The only thing that stopped me achieving my goal last time was that I didn't have a firearm."
This time he told them he had made a "deal with the Devil" to kill her.
Grunnill said: "I want revenge. I will do things differently.
"Old Nigel made decisions that led him to prison, new Nigel is worse.
"I could quite easily go round, break down the door and kill that woman.
"Once you make a deal with the Devil, you can never go back."
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