Man who stabbed partner to death after she told him relationship was over jailed for minimum 23 years

A man who killed his partner by stabbing her 31 times before blowing up their home has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 23 years.

Clifton George, 45, killed Annabel Rook, 46, in a fit of rage at their home in Stoke Newington, north London on the night of 16 June last year after she told him she was ending their 10-year relationship.

He punched and throttled her before arming himself with a kitchen knife and stabbing her repeatedly.

After the killing, George started a fire in the basement, causing a gas canister explosion which ripped through the house.

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, who had worked as an electrician on major projects such as Crossrail and the Northern line extension, could 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, noting that George had a "pronounced temper" which could be sparked by trivial matters and "perceived slights".

Of Ms Rook, the judge said a picture of her "shone brightly" through the testimonies of friends and family as someone who was "kind, attentive, funny and altruistically motivated, and someone whose instinct was to support, to listen, and to improve the lives of others".

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He rejected George's claim at trial that he had been provoked by Ms Rook pushing him, which the judge said 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, described George as "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 paid tribute to her "optimistic, inclusive, and full of fun" daughter.

She added: "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 the murder has left the family dealing with the "painful question of whether we could have done more to help her escape".

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