An electrician who stabbed a judge's daughter to death in a frenzied rage before blowing up their home in a gas explosion was today found guilty of murder.Clifton George, 45, killed his partner Annabel Rook, 46, by stabbing her 31 times during a row at their £1.4million home in Stoke Newington, east London, after she had said they should end their ten-year relationship.In the aftermath of the killing last June, George started a fire in the basement in order to cause a gas canister explosion which ripped through the house.George, who had worked as an electrician on major projects such as Crossrail and the Northern Line extension, denied a murder charge, arguing he had lost self-control when he punched, throttled and ultimately stabbed his partner.But by the end of the trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court, judge Mr Justice Constable KC had ruled that his defence could not be relied on, thanks to 'overwhelming' evidence of George's short temper and a pattern of abuse directed towards Ms Rook.The trial heard damning evidence that George – despite his denials – was an aggressive and bullying partner who was prone to angry outbursts over trivial matters.Ms Rook, a charity co-founder and the daughter of retired Old Bailey judge Peter Rook, had vowed repeatedly to leave her volatile partner, but tragically did not follow through on the promise before she was murdered.This morning, a jury found George guilty of murder after deliberating for two-and-a-half hours. Annabel Rook was a charity co-founder and the daughter of retired Old Bailey judge Peter RookClifton George killed his partner by stabbing her 31 times during a row at their London home The aftermath of the gas explosion on June 17 last year at the couple's Stoke Newington home Police and firefighters rushed to the couple's home on June 17 last year after an explosionGeorge nodded slightly in the dock as the guilty verdict was delivered but showed little emotion, while friends of Ms Rook broke down in tears in the public gallery.Police and firefighters rushed to the couple's home on Dumont Road at just before 5am on June 17 last year after an explosion – likened by neighbours to an 'mini earthquake' – ripped through the property and blew off part of the roof.George was found lying on the kitchen floor covered in blood and then tried to stab himself with a shard of broken glass while Ms Rook lay dead in the living room.He admitted 'I lost it' in the aftermath of the attack and the trial heard how George had been furious with his partner for keeping a secret from him.George claimed at trial that he was not short-tempered, and attempted to place the blame for the stabbing on Ms Rook, suggesting he had 'lost it' when she pushed him in the face.However, Ms Rook's friends and family gave evidence to show that George had a 'short fuse' and had shown himself to be quick to anger, while Ms Rook described herself as 'walking on eggshells' around him.Ms Rook spelled out in a heartbreaking letter how she lived in fear of her abusive partner's temper and wanted to end their ten-year relationship.She wrote to George, saying they did not make each other happy anymore and telling him: 'However hard I tried, I seemed to make you angry.'But Ms Rook's letter was never sent, and was only discovered by police on her laptop after she had been beaten, throttled, and stabbed to death by George.Prosecutor William Emlyn Jones KC said the unsent letter was 'a heartbreaking description of a woman reluctantly letting go of her dream of a happy life with her partner.'It is not angry, or hurtful – it is expressed as an attempt to be reasonable and accepting that the relationship just isn't going to work.'In the letter, she suggested a separation and wrote: 'A year ago we came to the decision we weren't making each other happy. Somehow love wasn't enough. We couldn't reach each other.'She added: 'My heart is broken.'In 2024, George had angrily turned on Ms Rook at the Glastonbury Festival after getting into a drunken row with one of their friends.Ms Rook said in her letter that 'something inside of me snapped', and she wrote to her partner: 'I couldn't deal with our misunderstandings anymore.'I couldn't deal with feeling like I couldn't be myself in case I said something that upset you. However hard I tried, I seemed to make you angry.'Ms Rook set out that she felt 'lonely' in the relationship and unable to be true to herself.In another note that she had written to herself, Ms Rook described sitting in the spare room while trying to avoid a bout of George's anger over domestic chores.'You are raging downstairs, emptying the bins with fury, the bins I've not emptied, the mess I've created', she wrote.'I don't want to be around you – you are so unkind to me. It is the third time in three days you gaslight me and shouted me down. Mostly I don't want you hurting me anymore.' George started a fire in order to cause a gas canister explosion which ripped through the house A court artist's drawing of Clifton George at Snaresbrook Crown Court on June 25 last year A photo shown to jurors at Snaresbrook Crown Court of the aftermath of the gas explosion An aerial view of the couple's home on Dumont Road in Stoke Newington after the explosion When she was killed, Ms Rook had told George they should separate and made it clear he should move out of their home.Ms Rook's best friend, Sian Davin, told jurors she believed George needed therapy for his anger issues and described an incident when he pushed Ms Rook against a wall and grabbed her around the throat.She said he had 'unreasonable flashing rage anger' at times, would fat-shame and gaslight Ms Rook, and possessed a 'tendency to over-react about small trivial things'.Daniel Varani, a former flatmate of Ms Rook, described the joy of their time living together but said he decided to move out shortly after George moved in, due to his 'angry outbursts'.The court heard of the incident in 2024 when George stormed out of Glastonbury after rowing with one of Ms Rook's friends and then drunkenly haranguing his partner.In another incident, George had flown into a rage when Ms Rook washed his chef's knives and left them to drip-dry instead of immediately putting them away.In February 2023, Ms Rook tearfully confided in her father about George's short temper, saying living with him was like 'walking on eggshells' and first mentioning the possibility of a break-up.She also called him a bully and said she feared 'he would never change'.Ms Rook told her close friend Catherine Milne about the relationship difficulties while insisting there had been no violence and saying: 'I don't think he would do that.'Ms Davin said her friend had acknowledged by summer 2024 that the relationship was 'abusive' and a couple of weeks before her death Ms Rook left her sister a message saying the relationship was 'not tenable'.'I fear there will be some more wrath to come,' she said, but she went on to predict they would 'get through this and will be stronger for it out the other side'.Before the fatal stabbing, Ms Rook had told George that they should separate and he should move out of their home, which she owned.Although under no legal obligation, Ms Rook had decided to give George £50,000 to help him find a new home and she also had hopes that they would holiday together in the future.On the night of the murder, George had been drinking red wine and got into an argument with Ms Rook about a secret she had been keeping from him.'In the course of that argument he punched her, he then tried to strangle her, and then he went to the kitchen to get a knife, he came back with the knife and he stabbed her to death,' said Mr Jones. The aftermath of the gas explosion at the property in Stoke Newington, East London The garden of the couple's home on Dumont Road in Stoke Newington after the explosion A photo shown to jurors at Snaresbrook Crown Court of the aftermath of the gas explosion The aftermath of the gas explosion at the property in Stoke Newington, East London'He lost his temper, and in his rage he murdered Annabel.'George, who had been heard crying out 'she lied' repeatedly as he mounted the attack, claimed he had lost all self-control and had little memory of the stabbing.But in a ruling on Monday, the judge concluded that his defence could not be left to the jury.Mr Justice Constable KC said the evidence had revealed that he is prone to 'becoming extremely and disproportionately angry and aggressive, often at minor or petty things'.'The evidence was overwhelming,' he said. 'It came from direct testimony from witnesses who had both experienced that anger directly, and to whom it was regularly reported by Annabel Rook.'He set out that the only possible conclusion from the evidence was that George was capable of 'unreasonable flashing rage anger', and the murder of his partner had come during an 'extreme loss of temper'.In the aftermath of the murder, George slit his wrists and then triggered the gas explosion, but miraculously survived the blast.Ms Rook's family and friends, including her father, packed out the public gallery in court during the trial and were forced to watch as George – in his evidence – attempted to paint Ms Rook as the abuser in the relationship.He claimed she had bullied him over his childhood traumas of finding his infant sister dead in her cot and being taken into care after violent abuse by his mother.George claimed the fatal stabbing had happened after Ms Rook had provoked him and pushed his face.In the days after her death, there was an outpouring of tributes for Ms Rook, the co-founder of the MamaSuze charity which supports refugee and migrant women, some who had fled domestic violence, through art and drama activities.'She touched the hearts of so many,' her family said, in a statement. 'She gave her life to helping the vulnerable and the disadvantaged.'George, who has been in custody since the murder, will be sentenced by Mr Justice Constable KC on June 9.After he was taken to the cells, the judge praised Ms Rook's family and friends for their composure while hearing the evidence in the trial.Ms Rook's father Judge Rook was among those in the public gallery in court today to see George found guilty of murder.In a statement after the verdict, Judge Rook paid tribute to his daughter, saying: 'Annabel was a truly wonderful woman. One of the world's life enhancers. Above all else, she was a much-loved mother devoted to her two fine sons.'She was also a superb daughter, sister and, for so many, a close friend. Ironically, she was at the height of her powers in her tireless work to help vulnerable women.'She had so much more to give. At least now there's been justice. But nothing will bring her back. We can be sure that her spirit will continue to inspire so many.'In his statement, Judge Rook, who gave evidence in the trial and sat through much of the evidence, said: 'During the trial, it has been almost unbearable hearing the years she herself suffered abuse and then the nature of the horrendous attack.'It was clear on the evidence that until the very end, she was incredibly courageous, trying to help others rather than safeguarding herself.'She dedicated her life to helping others. She worked in refugee camps and schools. She co-founded MamaSuze to provide creativity and support for refugee women.'She lived 46 altruistic years in which she gave so much to so many. We know that it would have been Annabel's wish that her life should not be defined by her tragic death, but by the rich legacy of love and support for the vulnerable.'Following the guilty verdict, CPS prosecutor Catherine Gould said: 'Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones of Annabel Rook. It is devastating that her life was taken in such a violent manner in her own home by someone she should have been able to trust.'She was a deeply caring and empathetic person who had set up a charity working with women traumatised by domestic and sexual abuse.'Clifton George sought to minimise his actions by claiming he had lost control. However, the evidence demonstrated that after assaulting Ms Rook, he retrieved a knife and returned to continue the attack, and the prosecution was able to prove the necessary intent for murder.'We worked closely with the police to build the strongest possible case and to deliver justice for Annabel. We know that nothing can replace Annabel but hope that this verdict can bring some small measure of comfort to those who knew and loved her.'Detective Chief Inspector Joanna Yorke, who led the murder investigation, said: 'Annabel was a cherished daughter, mother, sister and friend.'She was also a highly respected charity worker who co-founded an organisation dedicated to supporting vulnerable women fleeing domestic and sexual abuse.'Through art and drama, she helped them rebuild their confidence and reclaim their independence.'It is a particularly tragic and poignant reality that Annabel fell victim to the very kind of violence she had so passionately sought to challenge.'She should have been safe in her own home and protected by the person who claimed to love her.'Our detectives worked relentlessly throughout the investigation, analysing digital evidence including Annabel's personal notes, alongside hundreds of messages and voice notes.'This work uncovered the abuse she had endured, as well as a deterioration in George's behaviour.'Annabel will not be defined by her tragic death or by George's terrible actions.'I would like to commend her family, some of whom gave evidence during the trial, for their immense bravery and strength. I hope today's conviction will bring them a measure of comfort as they continue to grieve her loss.'