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Woman who killed child abuser has sentence more than doubled Woman who killed child abuser has sentence more than doubled
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A woman who was jailed for three and a half years for stabbing a convicted paedophile to death has had her sentence more than doubled. A woman who stabbed a convicted paedophile to death has had her “unduly lenient” three-and-a-half year prison sentence more than doubled.
Judges at the court of appeal in London increased the “unduly lenient” prison term originally imposed in the case of Sarah Sands to seven and a half years on Friday. Sarah Sands, 33, was found guilty of the manslaughter of her neighbour Michael Pleasted, 77, after learning he had been charged with sexually assaulting young boys. A trial in September heard that Pleasted was stabbed eight times and bled to death, and Sands was found guilty of his death by reason of loss of control.
Sands, of east London, carried out the killing of her neighbour Michael Pleasted, 77, within weeks of hearing that he had been released on bail ahead of his trial over accusations that he had sexually assaulted young boys. Judges at the court of appeal in London increased the prison term originally imposed in the case to seven and a half years on Friday, after the case was referred by the attorney general, Jeremy Wright QC, over concerns that the original sentencing had been “unduly lenient”.
In November 2014 she armed herself with a knife and went to his flat in Canning Town, east London, to confront him about the allegations. She stabbed him eight times and he bled to death. Related: Woman jailed for stabbing to death convicted paedophile
Sands, 33, was cleared at the Old Bailey of murder, but was convicted of manslaughter by reason of loss of control and was sentenced in September. Sands, a single mother of five from east London, killed Pleasted within weeks of hearing that he had been released on bail ahead of his trial on two charges of sexual assault on children aged under 13. He was also under investigation for a further allegation regarding a third boy.
In November 2014 Sands armed herself with a knife and went to Pleasted’s flat in Canning Town, east London, to confront him about the allegations, which is when the “determined and sustained attack” took place.
After handing herself in, Sands told a police officer the victim had touched some children “so I took care of him – I stabbed him”. She told the court she had not to intended to hurt Pleasted but he “smirked” when he answered the door and said the boys were liars who had ruined his life.
“I was frightened. It was not how it was meant to go. He was meant to listen to me,” she said.
During the trial it emerged that Pleasted, who also went by the name of Robin Moult, had 24 previous convictions for sexual offences between 1970 and 1991.During the trial it emerged that Pleasted, who also went by the name of Robin Moult, had 24 previous convictions for sexual offences between 1970 and 1991.
Sands, a single mother of five, watched the proceedings via video link from prison. The increased sentence was announced by Lady Justice Macur after the court heard arguments on behalf of the attorney general, Jeremy Wright, that three and a half years was “insufficient”. The presiding judge, Nicholas Cooke QC, said the case was unique as Sands had lost control rather than taken the law into her own hands and engaged in “vigilante conduct”. He said: “This was a case in which the defendant promptly gave herself up to the police in a highly stressed state, never disputed responsibility for the killing as a matter of fact, did not take the opportunity to get rid of evidence and demonstrated remorse.”
After the decision, a spokesman for the attorney general’s office said in a statement: “Our office received a great deal of correspondence in regards to this highly emotive and sensitive case. Following careful review, this case was referred to the court of appeal as it was felt the original sentence was unduly lenient, and the court of appeal increased the sentence to seven and a half years.” Cooke took into consideration Sand’s position as a single mother, as well as her admission of guilt when sentencing.
But three judges at the court of appeal ruled that because Sands had taken a knife to the scene, the fact she inflicted fatal injuries and the jury’s finding that she must have intended to cause really serious harm to the victim, the sentence should be increased to seven and a half years.
Sands watched the proceedings via video link from prison. The increased sentence was announced by Lady Justice Macur after the court heard arguments on behalf of the attorney general that three and a half years was “insufficient”.
Sitting with Mrs Justice Patterson and Judge Julian Goose QC, Macur added: “It is, of course, with a heavy heart that any court must consider the dashing of expectations. But in order that this offence should be properly reflected by a sentence which takes into account all the relevant facts, and not just those relating to the offender, we come to the conclusion that the attorney general must succeed.”
A spokesman for the attorney general’s office said: “Our office received a great deal of correspondence in regards to this highly emotive and sensitive case. Following careful review, this case was referred to the court of appeal as it was felt the original sentence was unduly lenient, and the court of appeal increased the sentence to seven and a half years.”