Woman killed sister and snatched Rolex, court told
Woman killed sister and snatched Rolex, court told
Case Details
Nancy Pexton, 69, is alleged to have fatally stabbed her older sister, Jennifer Abbott Dauward—known as Sarah Steinberg—on 10 June at the latter’s flat in Mornington Place, Camden, north London. Prosecutors at the Old Bailey claim the act resulted in a neck wound and the removal of her cherished gold diamond-encrusted Rolex watch.
Three days after the incident, a neighbor broke into the flat after growing concerned that the corgi’s usual barking was absent. Abbott’s body was discovered on the living room floor with gaffer tape over her mouth. The watch, which she was “greatly attached to” and rarely removed, was not on her person at the time.
Timeline and Testimony
Prosecutor Bill Boyce KC outlined the sequence of events during the trial’s opening. Pexton had spoken to Abbott via phone at 11:36 BST and later visited her sister’s flat at 12:45 BST, staying for an hour. The defense argued that the bloodstains on Pexton were from a nosebleed during a hug, but Boyce emphasized the lack of evidence indicating Abbott was alive after Pexton’s visit.
Following the alleged murder, Pexton called her GP, claiming she had taken an overdose. She was hospitalized before being arrested on 18 June. In the hospital, she reportedly instructed her daughter to dispose of the bloodstained clothes, a detail Boyce highlighted to challenge her account.
Forensic Evidence
A post-mortem revealed multiple stab and slash injuries, along with a single defensive wound on Abbott’s right hand. Boyce noted the sentimental value of the stolen watch, which was later found in Pexton’s bag. The defendant allegedly admitted to taking the watch, stating, “Oh yes, that’s my sister’s. She asked me to look after it.”
Legal Proceedings
The trial continues as Pexton denies the murder charge. The case hinges on whether she was responsible for the killing, with jurors evaluating the timeline and her statements. The victim’s niece, Mai Pexton, had attempted to reach her auntie before the body was discovered.
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