UK - Annabel Rook, 46, found stabbed inside house after suspected gas explosion, Stoke Newington, London, 17 June 2025 - Arrest

[Tortoise]

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a woman who was found with stab wounds at a house in north London following a suspected a gas explosion.

The Met Police and London Fire Brigade were called to reports of a blast with a person trapped inside a terraced house on Dumont Road, Stoke Newington, just before 05:00 BST. The woman, 46, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The 44-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder was taken to hospital with slash wounds. His condition is not life-threatening, the Met Police said.

Stoke Newington gas blast: Murder arrest after woman stabbed

The arrested man has been taken to hospital with slash wounds, the Met Police says.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Tortoise]

Annabel Rook, 46, was found fatally injured at a house in Dumont Road, Stoke Newington, north London, just before 05:00 BST.

She worked for a charity she co-founded called Mama Suze CIC, which supports refugee and migrant women, some who have fled domestic violence, with art and drama activities.

Woman stabbed to death before gas explosion named by police

Charity worker Annabel Rook, 46, was killed in a suspected "domestic-related incident", police say.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Skigh]

Mother-of-two named as 'murder' victim found at home after gas blast

Annabel Rook, 46, was found with knife wounds at her home in Dumont Road after emergency crews had rushed to the property following reports of a gas explosion.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[vls12345]

Update: Detectives name victim of Hackney murder

Detectives investigating a murder in Hackney are now able to name the victim as Annabel Rook, aged 46.

news.met.police.uk

 

[vls12345]

Statement regarding the murder of Annabel Rook in Hackney | Hackney Council News

News from Hackney Council

news.hackney.gov.uk

 

[vls12345]

Pictured: Mother found stabbed to death after explosion at London home

Charity worker Annabel Rook, 46, found after huge blast ‘shook’ street with man, 44, arrested on suspicion of murder

www.standard.co.uk

Detectives believe her death is “a domestic-related incident”.

Two children aged seven and nine have also been taken to hospital as a precaution but are not believed to have been inside the property at the time of the explosion.

 

[Tortoise]

'Teacher Alun Gordon said: "We just woke up to a massive bang... my whole house shook, it felt like a truck had hit the house.

"I then heard screams, someone shouting 'oh my God' several times, so I came outside and basically all the neighbours appeared in their pyjamas.

"We quickly established that the children got out, that there'd been marital strife."

He added: "My daughter babysat for her and we would chat to her as a neighbour. It's a massive tragedy for the street." '

Woman stabbed to death before gas explosion named by police

Charity worker Annabel Rook, 46, was killed in a suspected "domestic-related incident", police say.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Skigh]

Children of 'murdered' mother-of-two were 'at a sleepover'

'Kind and gentle' charity hero Annabel Rook, 46, was found with knife wounds at her family home in Dumont Road, Stoke Newington, in what police believe to be a 'domestic-related incident'.

www.dailymail.co.uk

MailOnline understands that a 44-year-old man arrested at the three-bed Victorian-style home on suspicion of murder is still in hospital where he is being treated for slash wounds. He is yet to be quizzed by detectives.

A family friend, who lives nearby, spoke through tears yesterday as he told how described the family as 'lovely' and told how his kids were in the same class as Ms Rook's children.

'They have two little boys. The kids were out at a sleepover. We know the family from birthday parties, everything,' he told the Standard.

Panicked neighbours walked out onto the street in their pyjamas when they heard the blast at around 4.50am, before dialling 999 fearing that someone was trapped inside.

Scotland Yard said yesterday two young children, aged 9 and 7, were not inside in the property at the time but had been taken to hospital as a precautionary measure.

 

[Tortoise]

Well that's strange, taking them to hospital if they were somewhere else having a sleepover.

 

[Skigh]

Well that's strange, taking them to hospital if they were somewhere else having a sleepover.

I can only think it might be they were worried the children might go into deep shock or wanted to make sure the children had not suffered any injuries prior to this event happening.
I wonder why both children were having a sleepover on a school night.

 

[Tortoise]

In a statement issued through the Metropolitan Police, her family said they were "struggling to come to terms with this terrible tragedy".

A 44-year-old man was arrested at the address on suspicion of murder. He was taken to hospital but later discharged and released into police custody, a Met spokesperson said.

Stoke Newington: Family in tribute to mother killed before blast

Annabel Rook's family say she was a "wonderful woman" who "gave her life" to help the vulnerable.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[miss marble]

Terrible tragedy, she did so much to help others including victims of gender based violence, yet sadly ended up being a victim herself

I'm confused though that the man (presumably her 'partner') arrested for her murder several days ago has still not been named, why?

 

[Skigh]

Partner of woman found stabbed to death after gas explosion is charged

Clifton George, 44, was charged with the murder of Annabel Rook, 46, as well as arson with intent to endanger life and will appear at Thames Magistrates' Court in East London today.

www.dailymail.co.uk

The partner of a woman who was found stabbed following a gas explosion at her home has been charged with murdering her.

Clifton George, 44, was charged yesterday with the murder of Annabel Rook, 46, as well as arson with intent to endanger life.

Ms Rook was found fatally injured at a house in Stoke Newington, North East London, just before 5am on Tuesday, June 17.

 

[Tortoise]

Annabel Rook, 46, was found with multiple stab wounds in the living room of a house in Dumont Road, Stoke Newington, north-east London, on June 17.

[...]

[Clifton George, 44] was remanded into custody by Judge Oscar Del Fabbro and told he would next appear at the same court on September 24 for a further case management hearing.

A trial date was fixed for June 1 next year.

Trial set for man charged with murdering partner found stabbed after explosion

Annabel Rook, 46, was found with multiple stab wounds in the living room of a house in Dumont Road, Stoke Newington, north-east London, on June 17.

www.irishnews.com

 

[Tortoise]

I'm trying to understand the charge of "arson with intent to endanger life".

If Annabel was already deceased, does that mean there was somebody else within the property? Or does it mean she wasn't yet deceased and it was an attempt to kill her by setting a fire? I doubt it could be intent to endanger life in a neighbouring property, even if the explosion caused a risk.

 

[Alyce]

I'm going to delete this as not completely comfortable with only have an AI answer and not a legal link

 

[Tortoise]

deleted post

 

[Alyce]

Annabel Rook, 46, was found dead at her address in Dumont Road, Stoke Newington, North London just before 5am on June 17.
She was the daughter of Judge Peter Rook, one of the Old Bailey’s most distinguished judges.

Trial for man accused of murdering ex Old Bailey judge’s daughter – Court News UK

 

[EnigmaticEpiphany]

I wonder if he set the house on fire so that her relatives couldn't inherit it.

 

[Skigh]

I wonder if he set the house on fire so that her relatives couldn't inherit it.

I imagine he did it to try and hide the fact that he murdered her.