A woman has been charged with the murder of a pensioner just weeks after he appeared in court charged with child sex offences.

Mike Pleasted, 77, was knifed in the chest during an attack at his home. Paramedics tried to resuscitate him but he died at the scene.

The attack – in the early hours of Saturday – came two weeks after Pleasted appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court in east London over sexual offences.

A 31-year-old woman appeared at Thames Magistrates Court today charged with killing Mr Pleasted. She is also charged with possession of an offensive weapon.

Detectives said Mr Pleasted was stabbed in the chest in his flat in an eight-storey block in this street in Silvertown, east London

At his court appearance earlier this month, Pleasted stood charged with two counts of sexual assault on someone under the age of 18 and was bailed to return to the court in February.

Neighbours claimed several children had been seen going into Mr Pleasted’s flat, which is in an eight-storey block in Silvertown, east London.

Residents said the pensioner and a local woman were in a dispute over the latter’s son. One said: ‘I was speaking to neighbours after it happened and they told me that he apparently liked little boys.

‘I did see young boys going up to his flat, but I had just thought they were his grandchildren.’

Another neighbour said Mr Pleasted had told her that he had been warned by police not to approach children.

She added: ‘He had an ongoing dispute with a woman, apparently about him and little boys. I don’t know if it’s her that’s been arrested. I was told by one of my neighbours he was well known as a bit of a paedophile.

A police spokesman confirmed that Mr Pleasted was known to the suspect.

Detectives are now trying to trace relatives of the bachelor who had lived alone in the third-floor flat for 15 years.

One resident claimed that Mr Pleasted told her that police had ordered him not to approach anyone under the age of 18.

A 31-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder and police are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident. File picture

The woman in her 30s, who also asked not to be named, said: 'He has been arrested a few times, I've been told.

'He actually told me himself that he was not to speak to anyone under the age of 18. He was not to be seen with them or speak to them.

'That was last week sometime I think. He loved animals, so he came over to speak to me when I was walking my dog and that's when he told me.

'After the murder I was told by one of my neighbours that he was well known as a bit of a peadophile.

'I was shocked because I've known him to speak to and say 'hello' to for a long time and I never knew.

'But I was told by my neighbour that the parents who live around this area warn their children not to go up to his flat. I suppose I didn't know because I don't have any kids.

'I'm absolutely shocked. I was in shock all day on Saturday and I still am. Even if he did do those things, the person should have gone to the police and not done this. It's horrifying.'

She added: 'He would talk to everyone and everyone knew him. He seemed friendly, and I think he was a bit lonely.

'From what he told me, he has a son who is a police officer and he has at least one grandchild, a little grandson.'

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'Police were called to a residential address in Drew Road at 4.21am on Saturday November 29th following reports of a stabbing.

'Officers attended and found a 77-year-old man suffering from stab injuries to the chest. Paramedics attended and the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

'We are in the process of informing next-of-kin; formal identification awaits. A post-mortem examination will be held in due course.

'At this early stage, police are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident.'

He added: 'Although not related, the suspect and victim are believed to be known to each other.'

Asked about the allegations that the victim was a suspected paedophile, the Yard spokesman added: 'We are retaining an open mind.'