Colin Sutton — Writing | Biography, Movies & Career

Biography

Colin David McLean Sutton is a British former Metropolitan Police detective who came to public prominence by leading the investigations on several high-profile cases such as serial killer Levi Bellfield and rapist Delroy Grant who were both subsequently convicted of their crimes and are currently serving life sentences.

He worked on several high profile and difficult cases during the course of his 30-year career. These included, most famously, the case of Levi Bellfield who was initially convicted of the murders of Marsha McDonnell and Amélie Delagrange, and the attempted murder of Kate Sheedy. Whilst serving life for these crimes, Bellfield was also tried and convicted of the murder of Milly Dowler. He received a Commendation for ‘exceptional leadership, detective ability, perseverance and dedication to duty’ following the successful investigation and conviction in this case.

Following his retirement from the police force in 2011, he began to write about his experiences. His first book, Manhunt, was released in 2019 to much critical-acclaim and it went on to be the inspiration behind the TV series of the same name for which he served as a writer and was played by Martin Clunes. The first series focused on the Levi Bellfield case and the second, which was nominated for a Best Drama Series BAFTA TV Award, focused on the search for Delroy Grant.

In 2020, he teamed up with Revelation Films on The Real Manhunter, an 8-part true crime documentary series which aired on Sky Crime. The premise of the show was to offer insight into investigations that he and his team worked on and to tell the stories with authenticity and sensitivity. This determination to put the victims and the work at the centre of each episode led to the show being re-commissioned. The 4th series finished airing on Sky Crime in early 2025.

His third book, The Colin Sutton Casebook, an accompaniment to the hit series, was released in March 2025 and will be followed by a new nationwide tour The Real Manhunter Live in 2026.

From his bio on The Real Manhunter website.

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