Woman accused of slashing sister’s throat felt ‘unappreciated’, court hears

A woman accused of cutting her film director sister’s throat and stealing her Rolex felt “unappreciated” by her, a court heard.

Nancy Pexton, 70, allegedly slashed and stabbed her sibling, Jennifer Abbott, at her flat in Camden, north London, on June 10 last year.

Three days later, a neighbour broke down the door and found 69-year-old Ms Abbott dead on the floor of her living room with gaffer tape covering her mouth.

At the Old Bailey on Tuesday, Ms Abbott’s son Brad Carlson told jurors about the “bubbling” resentment between his mother and aunt.

Giving evidence via video-link, Mr Carlson said: “There was interaction and sometimes anger and hostility between my mother and Nancy, there was resentment seemingly bubbling up.”

He told the court he had received a number of messages from Pexton expressing her “anger and resentment and furiousness” towards Ms Abbott.

Mr Carlson continued: “She was angry – I think there was at times a feeling of disrespect.

“I think a feeling that she was unappreciated and that my mother had not shown gratitude for some of the things Nancy had done and been there for her.”

The victim’s diamond-encrusted gold Rolex watch was missing when she was found and was later recovered from Pexton’s belongings after she was admitted to hospital, jurors have heard.

Mr Carlson, who bought his mother the Rolex, said he “wanted people to get along” and encouraged them to make “peace”.

“I, at times, was very honest with my mother. I asked my mother to be more gentle and sometimes more careful in her words. Sometimes people need to be treated more gently,” said Mr Carlson.

He added that he felt “empathy” and “love” for Nancy.

The court also heard that Ms Abbott had told her nephew Feras Abukhait she thought Pexton was “capable of anything”, and that she feared for her safety.

She allegedly told Mr Abukhait that Pexton had attempted to murder two of her boyfriends and hired two people to beat up someone called David.

Ms Abbott also asked her nephew if she should apply for a restraining order and even wrote a note about it on a scrap of paper, jurors heard.

On June 10, the defendant called her sister nine times, the final call lasting just over 15 minutes.

Bill Boyce KC, prosecuting, said it was “no coincidence” Ms Abbott was not seen or heard from after she took her corgi dog, Prince, for a walk that morning.

He alleged Pexton was the last person to see her alive having fatally attacked her in her home and leaving just before 2pm.

Pexton was arrested on June 18 after the discovery of her sister’s watch in her bag.

She denied killing her sister and claimed Ms Abbott had given her the Rolex to “keep for her”, jurors heard.

Pexton, of no fixed address, denies murder and the Old Bailey trial continues.