Woman jailed for 22 years for murdering film director sister over diamond-encrusted Rolex

Key facts

• Nancy Pexton, 70, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years for murdering her sister.
• Jennifer Abbott Dauward, 69, was found dead on 13 June 2024 with gaffer tape over her mouth.
• The murder occurred on 10 June 2024 at Abbott's flat in Mornington Place, Camden.
• Pexton stole a diamond-encrusted gold Rolex watch, later recovered from her bag.
• A post-mortem revealed multiple stab and slash wounds and one defensive wound.
• Pexton called her GP after the murder, reported an overdose, and was hospitalized until her arrest on 18 June.
• A neighbour broke down the door with a scaffolding pole after hearing no dog barking.

A brutal attack driven by jealousy

A 70-year-old woman has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of her film director sister, whom she stabbed repeatedly before stealing a diamond-encrusted gold Rolex watch. Nancy Pexton attacked Jennifer Abbott Dauward, also known as the novelist Sarah Steinberg, at her flat in Mornington Place, Camden, on 10 June last year. The judge, Anuja Dhir KC, said Pexton intended to kill her sister given the 'ferocity' of the assault. 'Your actions and conduct after the killing demonstrates not only your absence of remorse but also a deliberate and callous attitude towards what you had done,' she stated.

The discovery of the crime

Abbott, 69, was found dead on the floor of her living room on 13 June after a neighbour, concerned by the silence of her corgi Prince, used a scaffolding pole to break down the door. Her mouth was covered with gaffer tape. A post-mortem examination found that Abbott had sustained a number of stab and slash wounds, including a slit throat, and a single defensive wound to her right hand. The attack was described as 'deliberate degradation' by the judge.

The timeline of the murder

Abbott was last seen alive on a doorbell camera returning from walking her corgi at about 07:30 BST on the day she was attacked. Pexton spoke to her by phone at 11:36, then travelled by bus to the flat at 12:45, leaving an hour later. After leaving, Pexton called her GP, reported taking an overdose, and was taken to hospital, where she remained until her arrest on 18 June. The Rolex watch was found in her bag.

The motive: jealousy and animosity

Judge Dhir said that taping Abbott's mouth was a 'deliberate act of degradation' that was 'callous, demeaning and cruel'. She added: 'This act demonstrates the depth of your animosity and hostility towards your sister.' 'You took the watch because it was valuable and because you were jealous of your sister's greater financial security,' the judge told Pexton. The court heard that Pexton had shown no remorse for her actions.

The aftermath and sentencing

Pexton was arrested five days after the murder, with the stolen Rolex in her possession. At her sentencing on Friday, she was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 22 years. The case has drawn attention to the extreme violence of the attack and the calculated nature of the theft. The judge's remarks highlighted the deliberate cruelty involved, from the stabbing to the covering of the victim's mouth.

A family tragedy with lasting questions

The murder has left a void in the lives of those who knew Abbott, a film director and novelist. The theft of the Rolex, a symbol of the financial disparity between the sisters, underscores the jealousy that drove the crime. As Pexton begins her sentence, the case serves as a grim reminder of how familial bonds can be shattered by greed and animosity. The minimum term of 22 years means she will be 92 before she can be considered for parole.

The bottom line

• Nancy Pexton was sentenced to life with a minimum of 22 years for murdering her sister Jennifer Abbott Dauward.
• The murder involved repeated stabbing, a slit throat, and the theft of a diamond-encrusted Rolex watch.
• The judge cited jealousy over financial security as a motive for the theft and attack.
• Abbott's body was found three days after the murder, with gaffer tape over her mouth.
• Pexton showed no remorse and was arrested five days after the killing.