Man jailed for murder of Tommy Cooper's niece in Eastbourne

Sabrina Cooper's daughter, Natasha, said her mother had a "heart of gold" and "would do anything for anyone"

A man has been jailed for the "motiveless and senseless" murder of a grandmother who was found dead at her home in Eastbourne.

It was thought Sabrina Cooper, a niece of the late comedian Tommy Cooper, had fallen down the stairs, but stab wounds were later discovered.

Tony King, 60, was sentenced to life imprisonment at Hove Crown Court with a minimum of 23 years.

Ms Cooper's family said she had been "viciously taken away" by King.

The 68-year-old grandmother was found in a pool of blood at her home in Connaught Road, leading her family to initially believe she had fallen down the stairs and reopened wounds from a recent cancer operation.

Police investigations showed she had suffered five stab wounds to the abdomen and chest.

King, an acquaintance of Ms Cooper, was arrested after a number of text messages were found between them arranging for him to help her with boxes for an impending move.

CCTV showed him going to Ms Cooper's flat on the morning of her death and leaving about an hour later carrying an orange plastic bag.

At court hearings in December and April, King, 60, of Cornfield Terrace, previously pleaded not guilty to murder

Hove Crown Court was also shown footage from King's TikTok account saying: "Watch out for my next magic trick, it's going to be amazing" on the day before her murder.

He also recorded himself saying: "I have just taken a life today" in an unpublished TikTok video the day after her murder.

King had previously admitted murder at Lewes Crown Court and to Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team officers.

He had told investigating officers: "I just took her life and to this day I don't know why", the court heard.

Judge Christine Henson KC described the murder as "senseless and motiveless".

Ms Cooper's body was discovered after police were called over concerns for her welfare

King also pleaded guilty to possession of a knife in a public place, with no separate penalty imposed.

In a statement, Ms Cooper's family said she had "proudly" ran Coopers Magic Shop in Eastbourne.

They added: "We welcome the sentence passed down today and hope that should Sabrina be looking down from above, she will be able to rest in peace with the knowledge that justice has, at last, been served."

In court, Ms Cooper's brother, John, said the family feels "haunted of the thought of what she endured".

"In her final minutes she was faced with brutality and horror," he added.

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].