A chilling courtroom drama unfolds as a pensioner stands accused of brutally murdering her sister, a film director, in a case that has stunned many. The defendant, Nancy Pexton, who is on the brink of her 70th birthday, allegedly attacked her sister, Jennifer Abbott Dauward, in a violent altercation at Dauward’s residence.
According to prosecution statements, Pexton is charged with repeatedly stabbing her sister before leaving the scene. In a twist of chilling irony, she allegedly contacted her doctor to claim an overdose shortly after the incident. This call seemingly served as the first step toward her eventual arrest.
The gruesome discovery of Dauward’s body was made five days later by a concerned family member. In a heartbreaking detail, the victim’s cherished dog, Prince, was found confined to a bathroom, highlighting the disarray and desperation of the scene.
Despite the serious charges, Pexton has maintained her innocence, pleading not guilty to the crime of murder. Her trial, which commenced at the Old Bailey, is being closely followed by many. During the opening statements, prosecutor William Boyce KC painted a picture of the events leading up to the tragedy, noting how Pexton, who was then homeless, engaged in a brief phone conversation with her sister on the morning of June 10 last year.
Pexton denies murder.
Opening the trial at the Old Bailey on Thursday, prosecutor WIlliam Boyce KC told jurors how homeless Pexton called her sister and spoke on the phone for just over 15 minutes, shortly after 11.30am on June 10 last year.
She arrived at Ms Abbott’s flat in Mornington Place, Camden, north London, shortly before 1pm, and left around an hour later, when she called her GP saying she felt suicidial, the court heard.
Ms Pexton said she had a blackout about what happened earlier, jurors were told, but later gave a full account, and denied assaulting her sister.
Nancy Pexton (left) with sister Jennifer Abbott in a photo taken in the USA, shared on social media
He said: ‘The prosecution say that the defendant murdered her sister, Jennifer Abbott, on 10 June 2025.
‘They spoke by phone that morning, before the defendant then travelled to her sister’s flat by bus.
‘The murder took place in that time.
‘The defendant then left the flat and called her – Ms Pexton’s – GP, saying she had taken an overdose.
‘She was taken to hospital and stayed there until her arrest.
‘She said she could not remember what happened in the previous 90 minutes.’
Ms Abbott, also known as Sarah Steinberg, was found three days later, covered by a sheet, with significant injuries to the upper half of her body.
The prosecutor said: ‘It was obvious very quickly that Ms Abbott was dead. She was lying primarily face up, but slightly on her right side.
Ms Abbott with pet dog Prince who had been shut in a bathroom, the court was told
‘Her head pointed towards the window and her feet pointed towards the door of the room leading into the hallway.
‘Her right arm was extended under the coffee table, between which and the sofa she lay, and her left arm was across her body. She appeared to be wearing only her knickers.’
There is no evidence Ms Abbott was sexually abused, although there was duct tape over her mouth, the court heard.
Mr Boyce said Ms Abbott ordinarily wore a bracelet and a gold Rolex watch, which had diamonds in place of roman numerals.
Ms Abbott was so attached to the timepiece that she would often keep it on even while washing, the court heard.
But the Rolex, which had significant sentimental value, was not discovered on her dead body, and was instead later found among her younger sister’s possessions.
Mr Boyce said: ‘Ms Abbott was wearing the bracelet, but the Rolex watch was missing.
‘As you will hear, when police went to hospital and spoke to the defendant… they searched her property and in one of her bags was her sister’s watch – the watch she never took off, the watch to which she was greatly attached.’
The court heard Pexton told police her sister ‘asked me to look after it’.
The court heard Ms Abbott was 69 at the time of her death, and was nine months older than Pexton.
Mr Boyce said Ms Abbott was not in good health, and described as ‘frail and inactive’, although she regularly walked her dog, a large Corgi.
Mr Boyce told jurors the ‘traumatic nature’ of Ms Abbott’s death proves her assailant intended to kill the victim or cause her really serious harm.
He said: ‘You may think that the circumstances are such that there can be no sensible argument that she was anything other than unlawfully killed, that there was no legal justification or excuse for the killing, she was not killed in self-defence for example.
‘In short, say the prosecution, for sure Jennifer Abbott was murdered.
‘The central issue in the case is whether the defendant was responsible for the murder, or did someone else, after the defendant had come along, kill?
‘The prosecution say you can be sure that Nancy Pexton did kill her sister.’
Pexton, appearing at the Old Bailey via video link and wearing a grey top with her long brown hair untied, denies murder.
Ms Abbott’s directoral credits include War of the Gods, a documentary about religion and power.
The trial continues.
