A man has been charged with the murder of his partner, following a fatal stabbing incident and a subsequent gas explosion at their residence in north-east London last summer, as revealed in court proceedings.
Clifton George, aged 45, faces allegations of killing 46-year-old Annabel Rook during a dispute at their home in Stoke Newington on June 17, 2025. While George has admitted to manslaughter, he refutes the murder charge.
During the opening statements on Wednesday, prosecutor William Emlyn Jones KC detailed the events leading to the stabbing. He described how the incident escalated during an argument, noting that George first struck Rook, then attempted to strangle her, before retrieving a knife from the kitchen and fatally stabbing her. “His anger was unmistakable, and we will explore the reasons behind it. He lost control, and in that rage, he killed Annabel,” Jones stated.
The court was informed that Rook sustained at least 22 stab wounds, including a fatal injury to the heart, prior to the explosion. Emlyn Jones indicated that Rook’s body was found after the blast, while George was discovered in the backyard, severely injured and attempting to harm himself with a piece of broken glass.
In his police testimony, George remarked that he had “lost it” upon discovering that Rook had “lied to me.” Emlyn Jones reiterated to the jury that George does not contest the fact that he killed Rook, acknowledging his role in her death.
The couple, who had been in a relationship for over ten years but were not married, had experienced challenges in their partnership, according to the prosecutor. He noted that George’s plea of manslaughter had not been accepted, and he remained charged with murder. The jury is tasked with determining the circumstances surrounding the stabbing, particularly the dynamics of their relationship.
Regarding the explosion, Emlyn Jones explained that George had opened a propane gas canister valve located in the basement, which is typically used for outdoor cooking, in an effort to cause an explosion. An investigation revealed that George had attempted to manipulate the circuit breaker switches in the basement, presumably to create a spark to ignite the gas, but this did not succeed. Furthermore, he had left the gas rings active and lit on the stove; however, this too did not ignite the gas leaking from the canister. Ultimately, a fire ignited in the basement, which led to the explosion of the gas.
The explosion was powerful enough to lift floorboards, displace furniture, and cause extensive damage to both the property and neighboring houses, resulting in a significant noise.
Rhys Sullivan, a neighbor, described the incident as a “massive boom, which felt like a mini-earthquake,” prompting him and his partner, Harriet Cosby, to rush outside to investigate. Cosby discovered George lying on the kitchen floor, covered in blood and shards of glass, while the roof of the kitchen extension had been blown off. The court also heard that neighbors shouted for George to exit the house, but were horrified to witness him attempting to stab himself in the neck.
Annabel Rook was the daughter of retired Old Bailey judge Peter Rook and a co-founder of MamaSuze, a London-based social enterprise dedicated to supporting refugee and migrant women through artistic and dramatic workshops.
