Sarah Sands jailed for killing paedophile Michael Pleasted

• 29 September 2015
 
• From the sectionLondon

Image copyrightMet Police

Image captionSarah Sands was found guilty of the manslaughter by reason of loss of control

A woman has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for killing a man charged with sexually assaulting young boys on the east London estate where they lived.

Sarah Sands, 32, was found guilty of the manslaughter of Michael Pleasted, 77, by reason of loss of control.

Pleasted, who had previous convictions, was on bail awaiting trial when he was killed at his flat in east London.

He was stabbed eight times and bled to death, the Old Bailey heard.

'Sustained attack'

Judge Nicholas Cooke QC said it was a "truly exceptional case" as he reduced her sentence from seven years to three-and-a-half, taking into consideration her position as a single mother.