Why this mum who stabbed a man to death was hailed a hero by her sons
<p>UK mother Sarah Sands stabbed a paedophile to death after finding out her children were sexually abused.</p>
<p>The paedophile, Michael Pleasted, aged 77, was stabbed eight times in 2014 in a “determined and sustained attack” that saw him bleed to death.</p>
<p>Pleasted was already a convicted paedophile and had legally changed his name from Robin Moult to conceal a long past of abusing children.</p>
<p>Ms Sands’ three children told her Pleasted, who lived across the road from the family in London, had abused them.</p>
<p>She took matters into her own hands. “For paedophiles, if you touch children, there has to be consequences,” Ms Sands told BBC Breakfast.</p>
<p>“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.”</p>
<p>Her children, who have waived their anonymity, said they think their mum is a hero for killing their abuser.</p>
<p>Bradley, who was 11 at the time, said: “I thought, ‘hats off’. I’m not going to deny it.”</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>“He lived literally across the road from us. I could open that window over there and I’d see his house.”</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>“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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p><em>Image: BBC</em></p>
