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The alcoholic loner who brutally stabbed to death Tommy Cooper’s niece bragged on TikTok ‘I’ve taken a life today’.
Sabrina Cooper, 68, was found by her daughter, Natasha, lying face down in a pool of her own blood dead at her home in Eastbourne just a week before Christmas last year.
Initially it was thought she had died after suffering complications from recent cancer surgery. But when her body was examined it was quickly established that she had suffered multiple stab wounds to her torso.
A murder investigation was launched and a review of her phone found she had been in recent contact with a casual friend, Tony King, 60. He was arrested at his home on suspicion of her murder in the early hours of the following morning.
On being told of his arrest on suspicion of murder, King told officer: ‘You’re having a laugh.’ But during a search of his flat, just five minutes from Ms Cooper’s home, officers found a bloodied kitchen knife in a plastic bag under his bed, King later told police: ‘I just f*****g took her life and to this day I don’t know why. She hadn’t done anything wrong.’
Today King faced Ms Cooper’s family as he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommendation he serve a minimum of 23 years – minus the 183 days he has spent on remand.
Sabrina Cooper, 68, was found by her daughter, Natasha, lying face down in a pool of her own blood dead at her home in Eastbourne just a week before Christmas last year
A murder investigation was launched and a review of her phone found she had been in recent contact with a casual friend, Tony King
Ms Cooper’s brother, John, told the court: ‘In her final minutes she was faced with brutality and terror and we are haunted by the horror of it. We are tormented by what she endured. Did she fight back? How long did she endure this frenzied sand vicious attack? Did she know she was going to die?
‘She was slaughtered with a kitchen knife brought to her home by her murderer. Showing no mercy he repeatedly stabbed her. Her final taste: her own blood, her final sight: the face of her murderer, her final smell: the stench of the devil.’
He said the family will probably never know the reason why King chose to kill his sister.
Her daughter Natasha, 42, added: ‘There are no words that describe the suffering we have endured since my mum was taken away. Life without her will never be the same again.
‘The way she died, scared and in pain, that thought will never leave me. Mum had a heart of gold and would do anything for anyone. The day I found my mum lying on the floor in a pool of blood my world changed forever.’
Her daughter and brother were joined in court Ms Cooper’s mother, Zena, and other friends and family members.
Wearing grey sweatshirt and grey tracksuit bottoms, with white stubble and glasses King stood impassively as sentence was passed.
Hove Crown Court heard Ms Cooper, who liked to help out in the community, had met King, an alcoholic loner and drug abuser, and had offered to help him.
They had been casual friends for a couple of years and had met in coffee shops and occasionally eaten together.
Ms Cooper had recently sold her property in Eastbourne for £725,000 and was planning to move out of the town.
Pictured with her mother Zena (centre) and daughter Natasha (right) in 2017
King admitted murdering Sabrina Cooper at her home in Eastbourne last year
Ms Cooper was the niece of comedian and magician Tommy Cooper (pictured), who died in 1984
She had also been diagnosed with cancer, had recently undergone a hysterectomy and was recovering.
The day before her death King offered to help her box up her belongings in preparation for her move.
Just after 8.00am on Sunday December 18 King was caught on CCTV making his way to Ms Cooper’s flat.
Shortly afterwards Ms Cooper is seen returning to the property with her two dogs, Abra and Tricks, and King can be heard forcefully saying to her: ‘Get in! Get in!’
The court heard King then produced a kitchen knife from his pocket and repeatedly stabbed the mother-of-one as she desperately tried to defend herself.
After plundering her purse of £100 in cash, he grabbed a bottle of wine from her kitchen and also took her passport, driving licence and went back to his flat.
Police later found a sickening TikTok video King recorded the day before the brutal murder.
In it he says: ‘Watch out for my next magic trick. It’s going to be awesome.’
Sabrina’s daughter Natasha and her brother John Cooper outside Hove Crown Court in East Sussex
Forensics at the scene following the death of Ms Cooper in December of last year
Police and paramedics were called to a property in Connaught Road on December 18
After the killing he recorded another TikTok video saying: ‘I took a life today.’
Crime scene examiners found blood-stained clothing in a washing machine and in the lounge of the one-bedroom flat.
It is understood Ms Cooper, who liked to help out in the community, had met King, a drug-abusing, alcoholic loner, and had offered to help him.
Friends said the pair became acquaintances and she would speak to him about his troubles and once cooked him Sunday lunch as he was looking skinny.
The court heard King had attacked Ms Cooper in a ‘motiveless’ but brutal killing at her home.
Initially King denied murdering Ms Cooper but changed his plea to guilty when he appeared in court last month. He also pleaded guilty to the possession of a knife in a public place.
The court heard King was a drug and alcohol abuser who had a narcissistic personality disorder.
Lewis Power KC, defending, said nothing could explain this: ‘truly heinous and disturbing crime.’
He said: ‘He told me: ‘I can’t turn back the clock. I feel ashamed and have constant guilt.’
He said King had a personality disorder, abused alcohol and drugs and felt he had been a victim of society.
Mr Power said King and had been ‘angry’ his whole life.
It is understood he once ran a bric-a-brac and antiques shop on Seaside Road but the business closed down many years ago.
He had previous convictions for being involved in the fraudulent importation of Class A drugs and offences of dishonesty.
Ms Cooper was related to Welsh comic and magician Tommy – who died on stage from a heart attack in 1984 – through her dad David, who was Tommy’s brother.
Like her uncle she was hugely interested in magic and had run a magic and fancy dress shop.
Cooper’s Magic Shops – the family business set up by her parents – was a favoured destination for magic fans in the seaside town.
Ms Cooper was heartbroken when she had to close the store – which was beneath her flat where her body was discovered – in 2017 due to challenges brought on by the internet.
She was once pictured with her daughter Natasha and mother Zena wearing a red fez hat famously worn by 6ft 3in Tommy during his performances.
A popular lady, she was often seen walking her dogs, Abra and Tricks, and helping out at local charities.
Resident Paul Hall, 67, said: ‘She was a delightful lady, full of energy and life. She had a smile for everyone and was such a king-hearted woman, helping out in businesses and local charities.
‘She will be hugely missed. Sabrina was part of the fabric of Eastbourne and everyone loved her.’
Another resident said: ‘She named her dogs in tribute to the family magic shop and her own uncle.
‘She was a lovely lady, well-liked by everyone. It’s such a tragic thing. The shop in Eastbourne – which was part fancy dress – was iconic and everyone remembers it well.’
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