London 'paedophile' knife murder accused woman on trial

CCTV footage showed Sarah Sands was in Michael Pleasted's block of flats for 20 minutes

A woman stabbed a suspected paedophile to death in east London before handing herself into police, a court has heard.

Sarah Sands, 32, killed her 77-year-old neighbour Michael Pleasted weeks after finding out he allegedly abused three boys, the Old Bailey was told.

She told police that Mr Pleasted, who had been charged with sexual assaults on two children aged under 13, had been "asking for trouble".

He was killed in his Canning Town flat on 28 November. Ms Sands denies murder.

Familiar figure

The court heard how Ms Sands armed herself with a knife after drinking two bottles of wine and a bottle of brandy.

The case's prosecutor Jonathan Ree said CCTV footage showed she was in his block of flats for 20 minutes.

Mr Pleasted, who was stabbed eight times, had been on bail awaiting trial. Police were also investigating an allegation he had abused a third boy.

Ms Sands had befriended the pensioner who was a familiar local figure and ran a bric-a-brac shop from a Mace convenience store, the court heard.

'I stabbed him'

She used to visit him at his flat and bring him meals before she became aware of the abuse allegations.

After the stabbing, Ms Sands went to the Isle of Dogs, putting the knife and clothes she had been wearing in a carrier bag.

Before deciding to hand herself in, she told a family friend: "I stabbed him".

During a police interview, she said she had tried to help him, while all the while he was abusing young children.

She later said in a statement that she denied intending to kill Mr Pleasted or cause him serious bodily harm, claiming she went to confront him and took a knife for protection as she was scared.

The trial continues.