Sarah Sands, a mother of five fearing for the well-being of her children, took the law in her own hands when she stabbed her pedophile neighbor to death in East London’s Canning Town last November.
Now Sands may face a long jail sentence for stabbing and killing a convicted 77-year-old pedophile after fresh allegations opened up against him. Sands has been cleared of murder but has been convicted of manslaughter, according to reports.
Sands took the matter into her own hands after hearing that her neighbor, Michael Pleasted, had molested three boys in the neighborhood. The trial confirmed that Sands was convicted of manslaughter on the grounds of loss of reason, but a sentence is yet to be handed out by Judge Nicholas Cooke QC to the 32-year-old mother of five children.
According to Express, Pleasted also went by the name of Robin Moult and had 24 previous convictions for sexual offences between 1970 and 1991. ITV News reports that Pleasted served sentences of between nine months and six years for indecent assault on young boys, some of whom were under 10 years of age, and buggery.
At the time of his death, which took place on November 28 last year, Pleasted was on bail awaiting trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court on two charges of sexual assault on two children, both aged under 13. At the time, police were also investigating a further allegation that he had abused a third boy.
On the same day last November, Sarah Sands, who lived with her boys at her East London residence, armed herself with a knife and went to Pleasted’s Canning Town flat to confront him about the allegations. In the court, Sands tore down recalling how she pleaded with Pleasted to confess his crimes so that his young accusers could be spared the pain of going to court. However, according to reports, Pleasted just “smirked” when he answered the door and ignored Sands’ request, also telling her the boys were all liars who had ruined his life.
At this point of time, Sarah lost her cool. Confessing to the court her shock at Pleasted’s behavior, Sands conceded that she had never imagined the evening would pan out the way it did on November 28.
“I was frightened. It was not how it was meant to go. He was meant to listen to me.”
After a “determined and sustained attack” that lasted a few minutes, Pleasted crawled from his living room and collapsed in his hallway, where he bled to death.
A few hours after the incident, Sarah Sands handed herself to the police, reportedly asking an officer who took down her statement the following question.
“Who houses a f*** pedophile on an estate, like, seriously? He was, like, asking for trouble.”
Though Sands has been convicted of manslaughter, there could still be some relief for her. Judge Cooke, who is to give the verdict later today, admitted that he will pass a sentence knowing that the victim of the knife attack was a convicted pedophile who had refused to mend his ways, despite repeated warnings both by the state and its subjects, including his victims’ families.
However, he also said that taking the law in her own hands amounts to a serious crime for which Sarah Sands will have to be punished.
What do you think of Sarah Sands’ actions? Do you think she deserves to serve a long jail sentence?
[Photo via Combative Mind]
Sarah Sands, Mother Of Five, Faces Jail For Stabbing Next Door Pedophile To Death is an article from: The Inquisitr News