Electrician jailed for life for stabbing partner to death and blowing up London home

Electrician jailed for life for stabbing partner to death and blowing up London home Clifton George murdered Annabel Rook after she said they should end their relationship - Bookmark An electrician who stabbed his partner to death in a frenzied rage, then blew up their home in a gas explosion, has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 23 years. Clifton George, 45, killed Annabel Rook, 46, by stabbing her 31 times during a row at their home in London’s Stoke Newington. The couple had fought after she had said they should end their 10-year relationship. George then started a fire in the basement in order to cause a gas canister explosion which ripped through the house. George denied murder at a Snaresbrook Crown Court trial, but was convicted by a jury last week. At Snaresbrook Crown Court on Tuesday, Mr Justice Constable KC sentenced George to life in prison and ordered that he serve at least 23 years in prison before becoming eligible for release. He said George had the ability to be friendly and fun, but he had “another troubling side to your character”. “An overwhelming picture has emerged of your rage, anger, and volatility”, said the judge, adding that George had a “pronounced temper” which could be sparked by trivial matters and “perceived slights”. Turning to Ms Rook, the judge said a picture of her “shone brightly” through the testimonies of friends and family as a person who was “kind, attentive, funny, and altruistically motivated, and someone whose instinct was to support, to listen, and to improve the lives of others.” He rejected George’s claim at trial that he had been provoked by Ms Rook pushing him, the judge said that would have been “completely out of character”. “She feared you, she feared your wrath,” he said. “In your rage and fury, you brutally stabbed Annabel to death.” He added that even after the murder and explosion, George “remained fixated on your self-absorbed belief that Annabel had betrayed you”. Ms Rook’s father, retired Old Bailey judge Peter Rook, branded George “utterly selfish” while her mother Susanna Rook called him “a wicked, totally narcissistic, damaged person”. Delivering a victim impact statement in court, Mrs Rook held back tears as she hailed her daughter as “optimistic, inclusive, and full of fun”. “We know we will never be able to come to terms with her death, and life without her is painful and hard to bear,” she said. “We do feel Clifton betrayed the trust we placed in him. We welcomed him into the family in every way we could. “Bearing in mind his short fuse, particularly when in drink, we realise his inability to understand and address his own problems means he is, was, and will continue to be a dangerous man.” Ms Rook’s sister Sophie told the court: “Without Annabel, there is less joy and less hope.” She said her sister’s murder has left the family dealing with the “painful question of whether we could have done more to help her escape”. George was convicted at trial of murder and he admitted arson over the gas explosion he triggered after stabbing his partner to death. He attempted to claim loss of self-control as a partial defence to the killing, but this fell apart thanks to evidence of his short fuse, angry outbursts at Ms Rook during their relationship, and at least one incident when he had been violent towards her. Sophie Rook described the pain of hearing George’s defence case, saying his attempts to turn the blame on her felt like her sister being attacked again. Ms Rook was the co-founder of social enterprise MamaSuze, which helped refugee women and children through creative arts workshops. The national domestic abuse helpline offers support for women on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit the Refuge website. There is a dedicated men's advice line on 0808 8010 327. Those in the US can call the domestic violence hotline on 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org