Clifton George Accused of Murdering Partner Annabel Rook

Clifton George, 45, is accused of murdering his partner Annabel Rook during an argument at their home in Stoke Newington on June 17, 2025. According to multiple reports, George has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denies the more serious charge of murder.

The court heard that the stabbing occurred during a heated argument between the couple. Prosecutor William Emlyn Jones KC detailed the events, stating that George punched Rook, attempted to strangle her, and then stabbed her to death with a knife from the kitchen. Rook was reportedly stabbed at least 22 times, including through the heart.

Following the stabbing, George allegedly tried to blow up their home by opening a propane gas canister in the basement. According to The Guardian and BBC, he attempted to ignite the gas using electrical switches and the kitchen hob but failed. Eventually, he started a fire in the basement that caused the gas to explode, lifting floorboards, shifting furniture, and causing significant damage to both his property and the neighboring house.

Neighbors Rhys Sullivan and Harriet Cosby recalled hearing a 'massive boom' which felt like a mini-earthquake. They found George lying on the kitchen floor covered in blood and broken glass, with the roof of the kitchen extension blown off. The Daily Mail reported that neighbors shouted for George to get out but watched in horror as he started stabbing himself in the neck.

Rook was a co-founder of MamaSuze, a London-based social enterprise supporting refugee and migrant women through art and drama activities. She was also the daughter of retired Old Bailey judge Peter Rook. The trial continues with jurors needing to determine the reason for the fatal stabbing and assess the couple's relationship.

According to The Guardian, Rook had expressed fears about George's behavior in voice messages played during the trial. Just 17 days before her death, she left a voicemail for her sister saying she no longer felt their relationship was 'tenable' and feared 'some more wrath to come'. In another message recorded shortly before she died, Rook said: 'He's now on the warpath.' She had sought legal advice and was told George had no claim to their £1.2m home in Dumont Road as they were unmarried.

On the evening of the alleged argument, Rook was planning to offer George £50,000 to move out so he could put down a deposit on a flat nearby. The court heard that during an argument in their living room, George became 'very angry', punched her, and tried to strangle her. An eyewitness allegedly saw George taking a knife from the kitchen and attacking Rook in the living room.

George claimed that Rook had 'lied' to him and said the stabbing happened because of shock he suffered during a temporary loss of control. The court heard he set fire to the basement, directly below where Rook's body was lying, to trigger a gas canister explosion. George, who has pleaded guilty to arson, was burned in the explosion, indicating he was walking away from the basement at the time.