Clifton George jailed for 23 years to life for Annabel Rook murder
clifton george was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on 9 June 2026 to life in prison with a minimum term of 23 years after murdering annabel rook in Stoke Newington. George, 44, had already been found guilty by a jury on 3 June 2026.
The court heard that Rook, 46, was stabbed multiple times before George tried to set the family home alight by triggering a gas explosion. The sentence ends the criminal case, but the family has used it to press a wider warning about domestic abuse.
Snaresbrook Crown Court
George made an admission to police shortly after officers attended the scene that he had killed Annabel. Detectives later found evidence of abuse by examining personal notes on Rook’s mobile phone, along with hundreds of messages and voice notes.
The investigation also identified a recent decline in the relationship and a deterioration in George’s abuse. Those findings placed the killing within a pattern of control that police say was unfolding before the attack in Stoke Newington.
Peter Rook’s statement
Annabel Rook’s father, Peter Rook, said she was a much loved mother devoted to her two fine sons and that she was at the height of her powers in her work to help vulnerable women. He said: “Annabel was a truly wonderful woman. One of the world's life enhancers.”
He added: “Above all else, she was a much loved mother devoted to her two fine sons.” He also said: “She had so much more to give.”
In another statement, Peter Rook said: “At least now there has been justice. But nothing will bring her back.” He urged people who encounter misogyny or partners who are violent or controlling to call it out.
Police appeal
Detective Chief Superintendent Brittany Clarke said: “Annabel Rook was a much-loved mother, daughter, sister and friend.” She added: “My message to anyone experiencing domestic abuse is simple: please come forward. You will be listened to, you will be taken seriously, and we will do everything we can to protect and support you.”
The case now stands as a life sentence with a 23-year minimum for George, and the police and Rook family are using it to urge victim-survivors to report abuse before it escalates further.
