‘They were lovely’: Grief and shock at stabbing deaths of Golders Green women
A policeman stands guard outside the house where Louise and Hannah Cohen were found dead last Friday night. Top right: floral tributes to the dead women. Bottom right: Joshua Cohen has been charged with murdering his mother and sister. - Credit: Archant
Tributes have been paid to two Golders Green women found stabbed to death in their home last week, with customers of a famous bagel shop they owned expressing shock at the news and lamenting the deaths of two members of a ‘good, nice family’.
Cohen family's Beigel Bake 24-hour shop in Brick Lane, Bethnal Green. Picture: Mike Brooke - Credit: Mike Brooke
“I’m genuinely shocked. They were a good family. This is terrible,” said Joe Marribel, a cab driver from Stepney and customer of Bagel Bake on Brick Lane.
The popular bagel shop was owned by mother-and-daughter team Louise and Hannah Cohen, who were found stabbed to death at their home on Golders Green Crescent on Friday night. They were aged 66 and 33, respectively.
Mr Marribel added that he had known Louise Cohen’s late husband Sammy, the founder of Bagel Bake, and their sons Nathan, Daniel and Joshua. The latter has been charged with the double murder of his mother and sister, after being arrested on Saturday in Golders Hill Park.
“You always used to see Sammy—he was always very connected to the business. He could have sold out years ago or opened a chain of beigel shops across London, but was true to his roots and remained in Brick Lane,” said Mr Marribel.
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“He always had his cigar in his top pocket. This is terrible news about his family, absolutely terrible.”
Another customer, Marcus September, 45, said he had not connected the news of the killings with the bakery. “I didn’t know the owners lived in Golders Green. That is shocking, very sad,” he said.
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Workers in surrounding businesses also expressed shock at the news. “It’s really sad. We send our love to the family,” said Adam Frost, 24, at nearby clothing store Hear After, while local resident Peter Ogier, 31, said: “I’ve been coming here for years. It’s a shocking tragedy. It’s mortifying. They were lovely owners. They were always very nice and helpful. It’s a sad loss.”
Floral tributes, meanwhile, were left outside the large semi-detached Golders Green house where Louise and Hannah lived, while a lone policeman kept watch over the crime scene.
Joshua Cohen appeared at Hendon Magistrates Court on Monday, legally unrepresented, and again at a bail hearing yesterday. His trial for murder will begin at the Old Bailey on 11 September.
