Old Bailey judge gives evidence in murder trial of daughter’s partner

A woman whose partner killed her before he allegedly attempted to blow up their home endured years of “emotional abuse”, a court has heard.

Clifton George, 45, is alleged to have punched and strangled Annabel Rook before stabbing her 22 times and later starting a fire that caused a gas explosion at the home they shared in Stoke Newington, London. George, who is standing trial at Snaresbrook crown court, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, blaming Rook’s death on a loss of self-control, but denies murder. He also pleaded guilty to arson.

Rook, who co-founded a London-based social enterprise to support migrant and refugee women, was the daughter of retired Old Bailey judge Peter Rook.

Giving evidence in court last week Joshua Rook, the victim’s younger brother, described the couple’s decade-long relationship as “unhealthy” and said the family believed George was “emotionally abusive”. When asked by the prosecuting barrister William Emlyn Jones KC to elaborate on the type of abuse Rook experienced, he said George would consistently “put her down”.

“She was always having to sort of tread on eggshells,” Joshua Rook said. “She was concerned about what he might say and concerned about him being angry at her.”

Sophie Rook, the victim’s sister, said that the couple often threatened to break up but that it did not happen until the weeks before Rook’s death when she proposed a “trial separation” in a text message that was read aloud to the court. George responded to say that a separation would not be a trial, but permanent.

Earlier in the trial the court heard how, shortly before she was killed, Rook sent a voice message in which she described George as “on the warpath”.

Sophie Rook told the court that her sister said George believed he was entitled to 50% of the home they shared, even though she purchased it before their relationship began. In the weeks before her death, Rook had sought legal advice, which confirmed that was not the case. Sophie Rook said it had been her sister’s intention to help George with a deposit on a new property by offering him financial support of about £20,000.

Sophie Rook, who described her sister as her “best friend”, became visibly distressed while on the stand when asked about the impact of the relationship on Rook. “Her self-esteem took a nosedive… her self-esteem faded,” she said through tears, explaining that her sister had otherwise been a strong and optimistic character. “I wanted her to be with someone that really cared about her… from what I could see, he was always finding fault with her… always criticising her.”

The jury heard that George had become known among the Rook family for his “short temper”. Joshua Rook, Sophie Rook and Freya Colvin – Joshua Rook’s partner of 13 years – said that they avoided confronting George over his treatment of Rook after she warned them that their involvement could make his behaviour worse. Rook told each of them on separate occasions that when George was upset, he took his anger out on her.

Peter Rook said he remembered an incident weeks before his daughter’s death when the family were staying together at an Airbnb in Norfolk and George became angry about a conversation that had happened while he was out of the room.

“He stormed in and was in a rage with Annabel,” Peter Rook said. “He was shaking with rage and shouting… nothing seemed to pacify him.”

He added that George’s anger was directed towards Annabel Rook and that the event had caused him serious concern. He feared that George’s willingness to behave so aggressively in front of the family might suggest his behaviour could be worse when alone with his daughter.

During cross-examination Mathew Sherratt KC, the defence barrister, appeared to imply that the family may have treated George differently because he was black.

He asked each member of the family to recall an incident in which Sophie Rook named the only black fish in Peter Rook’s garden pond “Clifton”. On the stand, Sophie Rook admitted it had been an “ignorant” decision. Both Joshua Rook and Peter Rook said they spoke to George immediately after the incident and had apologised to him, and were under the impression that he had accepted their apology as the conversation was never revisited.

All denied there had been any malicious intent behind the comment but accepted it was inappropriate.

The trial continues.

Illustration by Elizabeth Cook/PA/Alamy