Man, 68, pleads guilty to murdering Tommy Cooper’s niece

A man has pleaded guilty to murdering the niece of comedy legend Tommy Cooper.

Sabrina Cooper, 68, was found dead at an address in Eastbourne, East Sussex, in December last year following a report of concerns for her welfare. 

Officers found the former magic shop owner, the daughter of Tommy Cooper’s brother David, lying dead inside the house.

She had suffered multiple stab wounds to her chest and abdomen and was found lying in a pool of her own blood. 

Tony King, 59, pleaded guilty to her murder at Lewes Crown Court today, and a further charge of possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

Wearing grey sweatshirt and grey tracksuit bottoms, with white stubble and glasses King, who lived just a five minute walk from Ms Cooper in Eastbourne, stood impassively in the dock as he pleaded guilty to murder.

Ms Cooper’s daughter, Natasha, who was in court, fought back tears as King admitted the killing.

She bit her lip and shook and she stared directly at King as he was led down to the court cells.

Judge Christine Laing KC said the only sentence she could pass on the 59-year-old was one of life imprisonment.

She said the only thing she had to decide was the minimum sentence she must impose before parole can be considered.

Ms Cooper was related to Welsh comic and magician Tommy – who died on stage from a heart attack in 1984 – through her father David, who was Tommy’s brother.

She ran Cooper’s Magic Shops in Eastbourne, the family business set up by her parents until it closed in April 2017. 

Ms Cooper was said to be heartbroken when she had to close the store – which was beneath her flat where she was discovered – 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.

In a tribute to her, Ms Cooper’s family said: ‘On behalf of the family, we thank everyone who has shown support and love as this nightmare has unfolded.

‘A loving and dedicated mother, a beloved grandmother and a popular member of the Eastbourne community, Sabrina enjoyed walking her dogs through Eastbourne where she would meet other like-minded people.

‘Like us, her dogs Abra and Tricks cannot understand what has happened as they pine, staring at the door, expecting Sabrina to return.’

Ms Cooper befriended her alleged killer after taking pity on him, friends said today.

Robert Church, 58, told how Ms Cooper used to work for him free of charge on his market stall, selling pillows, blankets and bedding every Wednesday.

He said she would cook hot meals for jobless King – who apparently survived on £60 a week and used the local food bank – after spotting him sitting close to the market.

Mr Church told MailOnline: ‘He wasn’t homeless, but he didn’t have a lot of cash and you could tell he was struggling. He used the local food bank.

‘Sabrina took pity on him, felt sorry for him. She befriended him and would do favours like cook him hot meals.

‘She was the sweetest, kindest lady you could meet.’

Ms Cooper had volunteered at the market over the last year and worked with Mr Church last Saturday at Eastbourne’s Christmas fair – the day before she died.

He said: ‘I really appreciated her help and enjoyed her company.

‘She was a bit lonely, I think, so helping me on the stall for a few hours every week got her out of the home and out meeting people. She was great with the public.

‘I think it helped her mental health.

‘Her death has shaken me, I only saw her the day before she was found dead. She worked on the stall at the Christmas Market on Saturday and was her usual cheerful self.’

In a grim twist of fate Ms Cooper was supposed to have been spending Christmas with family after being recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Ms Cooper, who lived alone, had been due to have an operation to treat her cancer late last month and had planned to recuperate at her mother’s home until the New Year.

Friend Jenness Coyne, 46, a waitress at the Deliciously Gorgeous cafe, a few doors down from where her body was found, said: ‘That’s what’s been bothering me, she shouldn’t have been at home.

‘She told me that she was due to have an operation to treat her cancer, I think the doctors spotted it early and we’re confident they could remove a lot of it.

‘As she would need a lot of rest she told me she was going to stay with a relative – I think her mum – for Christmas.

‘I last saw her about three weeks ago, on the day she was supposed to have the operation. I was surprised to see her but when I went to speak to her I could see she was very upset and she told me that she couldn’t stop to talk.

‘I didn’t want to pry so I didn’t ask if she’d had the procedure. But because I hadn’t seen her since then, I always presumed she’d gone to Hastings anyway to see her mum.

‘The first I knew something was up was when the police arrived and started searching her property on Sunday.

‘When I found out that she’d been found dead in the property and that someone had been arrested for murder, I was horrified.

‘I’ve been awake at night since thinking about her laying in the property and if there was anything I could’ve done but I hadn’t seen her for weeks.’

Ms Cooper had lived in her terraced maisonette for at least 15-years but had recently sold the property.

A burger restaurant called 7Bbone had moved in downstairs where Cooper’s Magic Shop once was but has since closed down.

Her father David – Tommy’s brother – set up Cooper’s Magic Shop in Slough, Berkshire before the business was moved down to Eastbourne, where she was regularly seen walking her two little dogs, a Jack Russell and Highland Terrier.

Ms Coyne added: ‘That’s how I got speaking to her, I sort of met her dogs first and then her because she would walk them three times a day around the back of the cafe.

‘If I was out there having a break we’d chat. She had a Jack Russell and a little white terrier,

‘I know that she had a slight financial issue.’

One resident said: ‘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.’

Another said: ‘She was a really beautiful person. She was so friendly and caring towards everyone she met. We can’t believe she has gone. We used to see her walking her dogs who she was devoted to.’

King will be sentenced at Lewes Crown Court next month.