Jury out in Silvertown pensioner murder trial

The jury has gone out in the trial of a woman accused of murdering a pensioner in Silvertown.

Mike Pleasted, 77, was found dead at his home in Drew Road in November - two weeks after he had appeared at Thames Magistrates Court charged with sexually assaulting two boys under the age of 18.

Mr Pleasted, who had been stabbed eight times altogether, was also accused of sexually assaulting another boy under the age of 18.

Sarah Sands, 32, has denied murder.

During the trial, the Old Bailey heard her claim that she “did not stab” Mr Pleasted after going around to his flat after drinking two bottles of wine and a bottle of brandy and that she was armed with a knife for her own safety.

The court heard how the mother handed herself into police after telling a relative about the incident, but during a police interview, she claimed that she didn’t know he had died.