‘Secret' daughter of rockstar tattooist battles widow over his fortune – and claims her inkings prove she deserves cash
Dennis Cockell tattooed stars including
5
Dennis Cockell's estate is at the centre of a bitter court fight
Credit: Champion News Service
5
His widow Fong Yuet Cockell (right) and daughter Natalie (left) are battling Dennis' 'secret' daughter
Credit: Champion News Service
After retiring in 2007, he took up a career as a handyman at Buckingham Palace but continued to make guest appearances at the
London
studio up until his death in 2022 at the age of 74.
His £413,000 estate is now at the centre of a High Court battle between his wife Fong Yuet Cockell, 65, and Cindylee Cockell - his Australian daughter.
Fong - the mother of five of Dennis' children - only discovered Cindylee's existence following his death.
Cindylee claims she needs a payout because the "overwhelming grief" of his death.
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She is also claiming that coupled with the death of her mum shortly afterwards has rendered her so depressed and anxious she is unable to work.
Cindylee is suing her dad's widow, who inherited all of Dennis' wealth, and her half-sister Natalie Fong Cockell, who is executor of his estate.
She is seeking £42,200 plus a valuable sheet of her dad's tattoo flash, which is worth thousands.
Cindylee told the court her dad promised to move her from Australia to London and support her financially prior to his death.
Most read in The Sun
She said she was two years old when she discovered the truth and visited Dennis in London from her native
Australia
four times before he died.
Cindylee also claims the pair made plans about her moving to the UK and working for him as a £23,000-a-year receptionist at one his studios once her three children had finished school.
Denying the widow's claims that Cindylee was not close to her dad, she told the judge the tattoos her dad gave her proved their bond.
She told the court: "I have all the evidence of our relationship. My dad did my arms on every visit to London. That's evidence.
"I do understand why the family wants to deny my existence. Dad had many secrets and it seems I was the biggest one of all.
"That said, it doesn't change the fact that I'm his first born and a rightful and legal heir to dad's estate like everybody else. I deserve to be treated as such.
"Dad was always very supportive of me and was supporting my move to London.
"I believe I have been very accommodating. I was fair and reasonable in asking for less than an equal share of dad's estate and it's a shame we had to end up in court.
"Had the defendants chosen to communicate and negotiate with me in a fair and respectful manner, there would have been no need for anybody to spend legal costs in the first place."
The court heard that Cindylee worked as a nanny and PA but is now on "Australian Jobseekers Allowance".
She was signed off by her doctor as incapable of working for "years" due to severe "anxiety and
depression
" caused by her parents' deaths, it was said.
She told the judge she needs the
money
to rent a house, buy a car and pay her son back money that she borrowed to pay solicitors'
bills
.
But Dennis' widow has argued she may be forced to sell her home if she is ordered to make the payout Cindylee wants.
Her lawyer Nicholas Michael said: "The deceased had no obligations and responsibilities towards Cindylee, but was married to Fong and she depended on the deceased financially and emotionally.
"Cindylee was estranged from the deceased until she was eight. After that she only met him on a few sporadic occasions and she has never been financially dependent on the deceased.
"The claim should be dismissed."
The judge has reserved his decision for a later date.
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Dennis, with Stray Cats singer Brian Setzer, was a tattooist to the stars
Credit: Champion News Service
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He passed away in 2022 at the age of 74
Credit: Champion News Service
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Fong and Natalie are fighting to keep Dennis' estate
Credit: Champion News Service
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