Woman accused of killing Silvertown pensioner confronted him over alleged sex offence
The trial is taking place at the Old Bailey - Credit: MPS
A woman accused of killing an elderly man said she went to “confront him” on the night of his death after he had been charged with child sex offences.
Mike Pleasted, 77, was stabbed to death at his home in Drew Road, Silvertown, in November last year - two weeks after he had appeared at Thames Magistrates Court charged with sexually assaulting two boys under the age of 18.
A 31-year-old woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is on trial, charged with Mr Pleasted’s murder.
The prosecution has claimed the woman took “the law into her own hands” after stabbing the victim to death over alleged sexual offences.
During the trial, jurors were shown CCTV footage of the woman making her way to Mr Pleasted’s flat, at about 8pm on November 28.
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The woman, who was carrying a white bag and is believed to have been armed with a hammer and a knife, waited for four minutes before she was able to gain entry into the block of flats.
She was captured leaving the building at about 8.30pm after allegedly stabbing Mr Pleasted eight times with a knife.
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Jurors heard how the woman 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.
The court heard the suspect’s version of events after a statement she had given to officers during an interview was read out.
In the statement, she explained that she went to Mr Pleasted’s home to “confront him” over the sexual offences he was charged with.
She said: “I had a knife with me, I took it for my own protection because I was scared of him. It all happened very quickly.”
She added that when she did take the knife out it was only to “threaten him at first”, but then admitted to stabbing him without meaning to cause death.
She said: “I am shocked he is dead. This is not what I intended.”
Mr Pleasted died after being stabbed in the back, shoulder, chest and in the front of his left arm.
The trial, which is due to last two weeks, continues at the Old Bailey.
The suspect remains in custody.
