Woman killed sister and snatched Rolex, court told
Woman killed sister and snatched Rolex, court told
The Old Bailey has heard that Nancy Pexton, 69, is accused of fatally stabbing her older sister, Jennifer Abbott Dauward, and stealing her diamond-encrusted gold Rolex watch. The murder allegedly occurred at the victim’s flat in Mornington Place, Camden, north London, on 10 June. A neighbor later discovered the body on 13 June after being worried the corgi’s barking was missing.
Jennifer Abbott Dauward, also known as Sarah Steinberg, was found on her living room floor with a neck wound and a tape covering her mouth. The watch, which she was “greatly attached to” and rarely removed, was missing from her body. Prosecution lawyer Bill Boyce KC emphasized that there was no proof Abbott was alive after Pexton visited her that day.
Timeline and Alibi
According to the court, the sisters spoke on the phone at 11:36 BST, and Pexton arrived at her sister’s flat by bus at 12:45 BST, staying for an hour. Pexton claimed she had taken an overdose of medication and called her GP, which led to her being hospitalized by ambulance. She was arrested on 18 June.
“She said she could not remember what had happened in the previous 90 minutes, which was the period we say she was undoubtedly in her sister’s flat, the period we say she murdered her sister,” Boyce told the jury.
The defendant, who has no fixed address, is said to have been covered in her sister’s blood “from top to bottom” following the attack. While in the hospital, she reportedly asked one of her daughters to dispose of the bloodstained clothes or wash them. Pexton explained the blood as a result of hugging her sister during a nosebleed.
Post-Mortem and Evidence
A post-mortem examination revealed multiple stab and slash wounds on the victim, along with a single defensive wound on the right hand. The corgi, locked in the bathroom, was rescued by firefighters after the body was discovered. Abbott was known to wear a Cartier bracelet and a Rolex watch of “real sentimental value,” which was later found in Pexton’s bag.
Boyce argued that the central question was whether Pexton was responsible for the sister’s death. The trial is ongoing, with Pexton denying the murder charges. Updates on the case will continue to be shared as the proceedings progress.