Roinn, 23, said killer Ben Cooper unexpectedly turned up at their Cumbria home, before he barbarically killed Claire Marshall in 2009
A YOUNG woman has recalled the terrifying moment her step-dad "pounced" on her mum and barbarically slashed her to death right in front of her.
Roinn, now 23, witnessed Ben Cooper, now 43, struggle to hack Claire Marshall's head off with a cleaver, seconds after he slit her throat with a pen knife at their home in Millom, Cumbria.Now married with two kids of her own, Roinn said the horrific attack has completely traumatised her.
She told presenter Maya Jama on 5Star's documentary, When Dad Kills, that cops said she could have been a victim herself.
"The only way I could describe it, in the police interview, was like a lion stalking his prey," she said.
Roinn's mum Claire had ended her relationship with Cooper after a horrific string of domestic violent episodes.
Roinn said he used to beat Claire until she had "black eyes, broken ribs and perforated ear drums".
But in January 2009, Cooper unexpectedly turned up at their home, demanding to see her.He was also determined to see Roinn and her sisters Rebecca, now 19, and Hanna, now nine.
But Cooper began to follow Claire "with his eyes, pacing up and down the room just watching her".
Suddenly, "he pounced. It was like a lion pouncing onto a gazelle. And he starting punching her," Roin sobbed.Breaking down in tears, Roinn said she had no choice but to rush her sister out of the property,to find refuge at their neighbour's house.
But when she returned alone, she saw her mum's throat had been slit and Cooper was still struggling to hack her head off with a cleaver.
"The only thing he seemed to be doing was trying to take her head off. He very nearly succeeded," she cried.When cops arrived, they found Claire, lifeless, with 12 wounds to her head and neck, 12 on her right arm and eight on her left.
Cooper was later charged with manslaughter and attempted murder, but pleaded diminished responsibility due to his mental illness.
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