Man Accused of Murdering Partner & Blowing Up Stoke Newington Home ‘Had Unreasonable Flashing Rage’, Court Hears

A man accused of murdering his partner before causing a gas explosion which destroyed their Stoke Newington home was known for “unreasonable flashing rage” and repeated abusive behaviour, a jury has heard.

Clifton George, 45, is on trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court charged with the murder of 46-year-old Annabel Rook at their home in Dumont Road on June 17, 2025. He denies murder but has admitted manslaughter and arson.

Jurors have previously heard Ms Rook was punched, strangled and stabbed 22 times before a fire was started at the property, triggering an explosion.

Giving evidence, Ms Rook’s close friend Sian Davlin said she had initially hoped the relationship would work if George received therapy.

“I did actually like Clifton and I felt sorry for him,” she told the court. “I was invested in the relationship, I wanted it to work.”

Ms Davlin, a refugee immigration solicitor, said she and her husband were “kind of like family” with the couple and knew “more than anyone” about the relationship.

Asked about recurring problems, she replied: “Clifton’s tendency to overreact about small trivial things and his temper when he overreacted.”

She described George as “insecure” and alleged he would belittle and gaslight Ms Rook during arguments over a number of years.

Recalling one dispute in a London park, Ms Davlin said she asked George to “calm down and stop being so aggressive”.

“He accused me of stereotyping him as an angry black man,” she said. “It was impossible to reason with him.”

Jurors heard Ms Rook later described George’s behaviour as abusive and told her sister in a message shortly before her death that the relationship was “not tenable”.

“I fear there will be some more wrath to come,” she said.

George denies murder but has admitted manslaughter and arson. The trial continues.