Man guilty of murder after stabbing partner and setting off gas explosion

A man who fatally stabbed his partner and then set off a gas explosion at their north-east London home last summer has been found guilty of her murder.

Clifton George, 45, had denied murdering Annabel Rook, a 46-year-old charity founder, during an argument at their home in Stoke Newington, on 17 June 2025. He admitted her manslaughter.

On Wednesday, at the end of a four-week trial, the jury at Snaresbrook crown court convicted George of murder.

The court heard how George had punched and tried to strangle Rook during an argument. He then repeatedly stabbed her with a kitchen knife, the prosecution said.

“He lost his temper, and in his rage … he murdered Annabel,” William Emlyn Jones KC, prosecuting, told the court.

Rook, who had worked on creating safehouses for women fleeing violence and co-founded MamaSuze, which support refugee women, was stabbed at least 22 times, including through the heart, the court was told.

George, an electrician, then opened the valve of a propane gas canister, left all the gas rings on in the house, and started a fire in the basement, jurors were told.

The resulting explosion “made an almighty bang” and lifted floorboards, shifted furniture and caused significant damage to the property and to the house next door, the court heard.

In a police interview, George said he had “lost it” when Rook said their 10-year relationship was over.

His lawyers ran a defence of loss of self-control. On Tuesday, Judge Constable KC told jurors that George could not rely under law on that defence.

George will be sentenced at a later date.