Why this mum who stabbed a man to death was hailed a hero by her sons
UK mother Sarah Sands stabbed a paedophile to death after finding out her children were sexually abused.
The paedophile, Michael Pleasted, aged 77, was stabbed eight times in 2014 in a “determined and sustained attack” that saw him bleed to death.
Pleasted was already a convicted paedophile and had legally changed his name from Robin Moult to conceal a long past of abusing children.
Ms Sands’ three children told her Pleasted, who lived across the road from the family in London, had abused them.
She took matters into her own hands. “For paedophiles, if you touch children, there has to be consequences,” Ms Sands told BBC Breakfast.
“And hiding behind name changes … it has to be taken away from them. That right to change their name has to taken away from them.”
Her children, who have waived their anonymity, said they think their mum is a hero for killing their abuser.
Bradley, who was 11 at the time, said: “I thought, ‘hats off’. I’m not going to deny it.”
Alfie added: “It did make us feel safer. It didn’t slow down the nightmares. But it did give us a sense of security because you didn’t have to walk down the street thinking he was going to come around the corner.
“He lived literally across the road from us. I could open that window over there and I’d see his house.”
Pleasted’s council flat overlooked a playground and school in Canning Town, East London. However, nobody knew of his past because he had changed his name and his crimes predated the sex offenders' register.
Ms Sands was convicted of manslaughter on the basis of loss of control after trial in 2015, and was eventually jailed for seven and a half years after having her sentenced increased by the Court of Appeal.
She said she originally intended to threaten Pleasted, who was on bail awaiting trial, to make him plead guilty so her children did not have to give evidence in court.
Labour MP Sarah Champion told the BBC some offenders are using name changes to avoid criminal records checks needed for jobs – including working with children.
“Once they have changed their names, they are able to get a new driving licence and passport in that name. That enables them to get a new DBS (disclosure and barring service) check,” she said.
The UK Home Office said it has already carried out a review of the issue and the UK already has strict rules in place to deal with sex offenders living in the community.
Image: BBC