Beigel Bake bakery on Brick Lane was set up in 1974 by Asher Cohen, the accused murder's father. Photo / Getty
Beigel Bake bakery on Brick Lane was set up in 1974 by Asher Cohen, the accused murder's father. Photo / Getty
By Nicola Harley
A son suspected of stabbing to death his mother and sister at their £1.5m ($2.7m) home had been cut out of the family's bagel baking fortune just weeks earlier.
The wealthy bakers were found murdered in the family's home in Golders Green at 8.50pm on Friday inwhat police have described as "a devastating attack".
Joshua Cohen, 27, was arrested in a park on Saturday following a manhunt and has been arrested on suspicion of killing his mother Leah, 66, and sister Hannah, 33.
Family tributes describe them both as "loving and wonderful" people.
Hannah Cohen was found stabbed to death with her mother.
Cohen's late father Asher was one of the founders of the world renown Beigel Bake in Brick Lane, London, and just weeks ago probate was granted on his estate only naming Cohen's two older brothers Nathan, 30, and Daniel, 34, as directors of the company.
His father died last December at the age of 81.
Probate on his estate was granted on July 27 and on the same day the directorship of the Beigel Bake empire was altered to list two of Cohen's brothers as directors.
Joshua Cohen was charged with murder on Sunday night. Photo / Met Police
All three brothers had worked in the family business.
Detectives said Cohen has mental health issues and suffers from paranoid schizophrenia.
On Sunday tributes were paid to his mother and sister.
Hannah, who had studied psychology at City University London, was a former pupil at the prestigious Carmel College, Wallingford, which has since closed.
Her former schoolfriend told the Telegraph it was a "tragedy".
She ran a cake business called Coco Cakes with her sister-in-law Deborah Cohen.
Mrs Cohen, who is married to Daniel, told the Mail: "She was a loving aunt to her niece and four nephews and the older ones loved nothing more than baking with her.
"She was absolutely selfless and did everything for everyone else.
"She was the greatest cook. We went over there every Sunday to eat together as a family and she made the most amazing food. My kids absolutely adored her."
Yesterday a message on the company's Facebook page stated: "I'm very sad to say, there will be no more cakes by Coco Cakes."
Hannah's mother Leah was described by her family as "a loving, generous and a wonderful mother to her five children".
Formal identification and post mortem examinations have yet to take place but police are confident they know the identify of the victims.
Their next-of-kin have been informed.
Hannah and Leah Cohen were killed in the family home in Golders Green.
Staff at Beigel Bake were too upset to talk last night.
Cohen senior, who died in December aged 81, arrived in the UK from Israel in the 1960s and worked at his brother's bakery next door initially before branching out and opening his bagel business.
Beigel Bake was set up by Cohen senior with his brother and another partner in 1974 and was first Britain's first bagel bakery.
