The sister of film director Jennifer Abbott has been charged with her murder after Ms Abbott was discovered stabbed to death inside her own north London home.
The Metropolitan Police previously said officers were investigating whether the death was linked to a diamond-encrusted Rolex missing from Ms Abbott's home.
The 69-year-old director, who was also known as Sarah Steinberg, who was found dead in her flat in Camden, on June 13, Scotland Yard said.
Nancy Pexton, who is also 69, has been charged with murder and appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court on Friday. The two women were understood to be sisters, and Pexton is nine months younger than Ms Abbott, the Press Association reports.
Ms Abbott was found by her niece and neighbours, who broke her door down after her family had not heard from her for several days. A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as sharp force trauma.
Neighbours said they regularly saw Ms Abbott walking her corgi in the area. One described her as “exuberant” and “vivacious”.
The Met Police had said detectives were keeping an open mind about the motive for the murder but are appealing for information about a Rolex watch with a distinctive diamond-encrusted face that they believe is missing from Ms Abbott’s apartment.
A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said her son went to help Ms Abbott's niece and the pair made the harrowing discovery.
“My son broke the door down. We heard her niece shouting: 'Somebody help me, somebody help,' and we went out and asked: 'What's wrong?'” the neighbour said.
“She said: 'I haven't heard from my auntie in four days. Something's wrong – break the door down.'
“I was holding the door open downstairs and my son was upstairs and then I heard her niece screaming and saying: 'Oh my God, she's been murdered.' ”
The film director was born in London in 1967, the daughter of an ambassador, and graduated from the University of Westminster, according to her official biography on IMDb.
Most notably, Abbott directed a feature-length film titled War of the Gods, which won the best documentary prize at the 2009 Swansea Film Festival in Wales.
International business executives have voiced concern about visiting London, even the most high-end areas, for fear their expensive watches will be stolen.
The Met Police has dedicated extra resources to fighting the crime wave. This year the force revealed details of an operation in which undercover officers wearing luxury watches late at night in central London were used as bait to lure robbers, before their colleagues moved in to make arrests.
The criminals include a gang of Algerian thieves operating from North Africa to the UK to carry out lucrative robberies.
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
2020 Oscars winners: in numbers
- Parasite – 4
- 1917– 3
- Ford v Ferrari – 2
- Joker – 2
- Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood – 2
- American Factory – 1
- Bombshell – 1
- Hair Love – 1
- Jojo Rabbit – 1
- Judy – 1
- Little Women – 1
- Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl) – 1
- Marriage Story – 1
- Rocketman – 1
- The Neighbors' Window – 1
- Toy Story 4 – 1
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French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
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Hotel Silence
Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir
Pushkin Press
Did you know?
Brunch has been around, is some form or another, for more than a century. The word was first mentioned in print in an 1895 edition of Hunter’s Weekly, after making the rounds among university students in Britain. The article, entitled Brunch: A Plea, argued the case for a later, more sociable weekend meal. “By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well,” the piece read. “It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” More than 100 years later, author Guy Beringer’s words still ring true, especially in the UAE, where brunches are often used to mark special, sociable occasions.
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
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What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
