Sister in court after film director found dead with Rolex watch missing

A woman has appeared in court over the death of her film director sister who was found fatally stabbed in the neck with her valuable Rolex watch missing.

Nancy Pexton, 69, is accused of murdering Jennifer Abbott Dauward, known as Sarah Steinberg, at her flat in Camden, north London.

Ms Dauward, who was nine months older than the defendant, was last seen alive on CCTV footage on June 10 as she returned from walking her dog.

Neighbours have said they regularly saw her walking her pet corgi in the area with one describing her as “exuberant” and “vivacious”.

Police were called to the victim’s first floor flat in Mornington Place at 5.45pm on June 13 after being alerted by her concerned niece.

Ms Dauward was found on the floor of the living room partially covered with a blanket and with black tape on her mouth, the Old Bailey heard on Tuesday.

Paramedics attended and she was pronounced dead at 6.08pm.

Prosecutor Ben Holt said the victim would usually wear a Rolex and a Cartier bracelet but when her body was found, the watch was not there.

A post-mortem examination found the cause of death was a sharp trauma to the neck with eight stab wounds identified, the court was told.

Pexton was arrested on June 18 and later charged with her sister’s murder, the Rolex having been recovered from a bag, the court was told.

Pexton, of no fixed address, spoke only to confirm her identity by video-link from Bronzefield prison during the preliminary hearing before Judge Judy Khan KC.

A plea hearing was set for September 9 with a provisional trial at the Old Bailey from April 7 next year.

Judge Khan remanded the defendant into custody.