‘I don’t think she knew how much danger she was in’: the life and death of Annabel Rook
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What is the background story of Annabel Rook?
This is The Guardian.
Today, how do you carry on after your best friend is murdered?
Just before we start, today's episode contains some upsetting descriptions of violence. But please do stick with us if you can, because it's also a really powerful story of love and friendship.
So on the Monday morning, she went off to a meeting around the corner from here, actually around the corner from my house. The last day of Annabel Rook's life started like any other. We had been planning this project with this Afghan women's community that live just quite near me and they're very isolated and we were going to run a women's group for them.
This is Catherine Milne. She and Annabel ran a charity together, Mama Sue's, supporting some of London's most vulnerable women. But they were more than co-workers. They'd been best friends since they were eight years old.
She left me like a voice note afterwards telling me all about the meeting and how productive and good it had been and how excited she was.
Maybe we should say we can deliver a package of six sessions to see what your community likes and enjoys.
And I think after that, she then went to her brother's house and was working there for the day because Clifton, her partner, had been away for the whole weekend in Barcelona at some sort of festival, drinking all weekend. And he was back and at home and being a bit of a dick. And she had messaged me saying she was going to give him a wide berth and not talk to him about anything to do with them and all the difficulties they were having until he got over the hangover, as she put it.
Catherine knew the relationship was breaking down and she was relieved when Annabelle told her she was ready to leave him.
And then I think they'd been arguing all evening and at some point around 7pm he killed her.
This is Annabelle's story, told by those who loved her. But it's also a story about femicide in the UK. Last year, Annabelle was just one of more than 100 women killed by men, often in their own homes.
I mean, I loved her so much. I even said to her, like, six months before she was killed, that my worst fear was something happening to her. And she laughed and said, don't worry, nothing's going to happen to me.
From The Guardian, I'm Annie Kelly. Today in Focus, the life and death of Annabelle Rook.
How old were you guys here? So I think that was when we were about 16. Yeah.
Yeah. It's a sunny morning in May and I've come to Catherine's home in North London to talk about Annabelle.
And that was at a friend's 40th. That's sort of really quite funny ones.
And although this time I've brought recording kit and producer Eli with me, I've been here many times before because Catherine's one of my closest friends.
And actually this is a fancy dress party we went to. I think we were about 21 or something.
This is also not the first time we've talked about Annabelle. Catherine and I have spoken about her almost every day of the last year. What is your earliest memory of you and Annabelle together?
How did Annabel Rook's relationship with Clifton evolve?
Can you remember when you met her or what's your kind of earliest memory of your friendship?
Well, we met when we were eight and we were at this funny little school in Tufnell Park called the Village School. And we were both basically bottom of the class. So we kind of bonded over that because we just knew that we were sort of different to everybody else. We were both quite sort of popular and had lots of friends, but we... basically failed academically. And I think that really gelled us together. And she always sort of tried really hard, even though we were just shit at everything. Whereas I'd sort of give up and be quite kind of morose and grumpy about stuff. And she'd always be like, no, you have to persevere. I remember her saying to me when we were about nine and me thinking, God, seriously.
But she just had this incredible attitude to everything. And she was always laughing and jolly and... A real gift to be around somebody like that. She's what my mum used to say. She's got the happy gene, that girl. When she was little, my mum used to say that.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the background story of Annabel Rook?
0:00–4:02
2
How did Annabel Rook's relationship with Clifton evolve?
4:02–10:01
3
What warning signs indicated danger in Annabel's relationship?
10:01–13:29
4
What events led to Annabel Rook's tragic death?
13:29–18:06
5
How did the trial of Clifton George unfold?
18:06–21:08
6
What was the emotional impact of the trial on Annabel's family?
21:08–25:23
7
What discussions arose around femicide and domestic violence?
25:23–30:58
8
How is Annabel Rook remembered by her community and family?
30:58–44:42