A woman has been accused of murdering her older sister and subsequently stealing her valuable Rolex watch, adorned with diamonds, according to testimonies presented in court.

Nancy Pexton, 69, faced the Old Bailey on Thursday, charged with the murder of her sister, Jennifer Abbott, who was also 69 years old and worked as a film-maker. The alleged crime took place on June 10 of the previous year in Abbott’s flat located in north London.

Pexton, who does not have a permanent residence, has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. Abbott’s body was discovered on June 13 when a concerned neighbor forced entry into her Camden apartment after hearing her dog’s incessant barking. The dog, a corgi named Prince, was found locked in the bathroom, appearing distressed but unharmed.

During the prosecution’s opening statement on Thursday, William Boyce KC informed the court that Pexton claimed she could not recall events from the 90 minutes prior to the incident, a timeframe during which the prosecution asserts she was in her sister’s flat and committed the murder.

The court was informed that Abbott’s neighbor contacted emergency services after discovering her decaying and partially unclothed body on the living room floor, with tape covering her mouth and a significant laceration on her neck. An autopsy later indicated that she had multiple stab and slash wounds, as well as a defensive wound on her right hand.

The last sighting of Abbott was captured on a doorbell camera as she took her dog for a walk at 7:36 AM that morning. She spoke to Pexton on the phone at 11:36 AM and welcomed her sister to her home an hour later. Evidence suggested that Pexton remained in the flat for roughly another hour before departing at approximately 1:45 PM.

Jurors were told that Abbott was discovered without her cherished Rolex, even though she was known to be very attached to it and typically wore it at all times. The watch was later located during a police search of Pexton’s belongings. When questioned about its presence, Pexton remarked, “Oh yes, that’s my sister’s. She asked me to look after it.”

This explanation contradicted her earlier statement to the police, where she claimed uncertainty regarding whether Abbott was wearing the watch that day, asserting that she would never remove it.

Following the alleged murder, Pexton reportedly contacted her general practitioner, claiming to have taken an overdose, which led to her hospitalization. Before being admitted, she allegedly informed a 999 operator that she had been mistreated by her family, stating they were “very powerful” and would harm her if she reported the abuse.

The court also heard that the blue dungarees Pexton wore on the day of the alleged crime were stained with Abbott’s blood. It was alleged that she asked one of her daughters to clean or dispose of the clothing while she was in the hospital. Pexton contended that the blood resulted from her sister having a nosebleed during an embrace.

In later interviews with the police, Pexton asserted that her sister had been in “good spirits” at the time of their last interaction and expressed that she could not recall details surrounding the period of Abbott’s death, claiming to have “blacked out.”