Teenager bought a firework which was stuffed through a letterbox and killed ... trends now
A teenager told his girlfriend 'people are going to get terrorised tonight' as he bought a firework which was later stuffed through the letterbox of a property, killing a grandmother inside.
Kai Cooper is on trial over the death of Josephine Smith, 88, who is believed to have been asleep in bed when the firework was stuffed through the letterbox of her home in Romford, east London, which set the property ablaze on October 28. 2021.
Cooper, from Leatherhead, Surrey, denies arson being reckless as to whether life is endangered and manslaughter.
Heidi Stonecliffe KC told a jury at the Old Bailey that Cooper, 19, was accompanied to a firework shop by a younger boy who was 15-years-old at the time. He is now aged 17, and cannot be identified for legal reasons.
Cooper is alleged to have said to the shopkeeper Mark Vardy that he wanted 'something that is going to go far and quick'.
Josephine Smith, 88, who is believed to have been asleep in bed when the firework was stuffed through the letterbox of her home in Romford, east London, which set the property ablaze on October 28. 2021
CCTV footage from inside the shop records Cooper telling Mr Vardy: 'I'm going to throw it in their face bro', and asking which fireworks were the 'best ones to let off at people, not gonna do damage, but shoot off and go bang.'
It is alleged that he then told his girlfriend outside: 'Hey babes, come here. I'm trying to get fireworks, let them off at people. People are going to get terrorised tonight.'
He then purchased the fireworks, as well as two lighters from a Co-op shop.
He and his friend then walked towards Mrs Smith's house in Queens Park Road, where she lived alone. The court heard that Mrs Smith, a Blitz survivor and grandmother of seven, was 'entirely unknown' to the pair.
Before they reached the property, the pair set off some fireworks in the street, next to a restaurant and a pub, near cars and towards pedestrians. Cooper has admitted affray by setting the fireworks off in the street.
'It is the Crown's contention that they acted as a team as they did this, with Kai handing (the 17-year-old) the fireworks before they were lit and Kai encouraging (the 17-year-old) to do this,' Ms Stonecliffe told the court.
'It was, it is suggested, the precursor for the altogether more tragic events that occurred shortly afterwards.'
Cooper, aged 19, is on trial over the death of Josephine Smith, 88, at the Old Bailey in
