Catherine Milne, co-founder of the community organisation MamaSuze, has spoken out after her best friend Annabel Rook was stabbed to death by her partner in June 2025. The two had been friends since the age of eight and worked together supporting survivors of gender-based violence. Rook was killed in her own home in London, and her partner later caused a gas explosion that destroyed the house. Milne describes the loss as feeling like a part of herself has been erased.
Lifelong Friendship Rooted in Shared Purpose
Milne and Rook met at a small private primary school in Tufnell Park, north London, when they were eight years old. Both were dyslexic, creative, and tentative, and they formed a strong bond. As teenagers, they enjoyed a wild and beautiful young life, staying out all night, attending festivals, and swimming in the Thames. In their mid-20s, they worked together at the Buduburam refugee settlement in Ghana, supporting 42,000 people displaced by the Liberian war. This experience shaped their commitment to helping others.
Years later, they co-founded MamaSuze, a grassroots organisation in London that supports women and mothers who are survivors of gender-based violence and displacement. The organisation offers trauma-informed creative workshops, a creche facility, and travel money to remove barriers to attendance. Rook was described as a radiant community leader who radiated warmth and compassion.
The Night of the Murder
On the evening of the murder, Rook had told her partner she wanted to separate. He had been away partying in Barcelona and returned home. After an argument, he punched her repeatedly, tried to strangle her, and then fetched a knife from the kitchen. Neighbours heard her screams. When police and ambulance arrived in the early hours, they found Rook dead on her sitting room floor. Her partner attempted suicide and then caused a gas explosion, which blew out the bay windows and woke the entire street. Rook's children had run to a friend's house nearby.
Milne visited the devastated home days later and described feeling an out-of-body experience. She screamed and wept on the drive home, but says she is pleased she allowed herself to react emotionally.
The Trial and Sentencing
Her partner was found guilty of murder after a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court. Milne attended court and described scanning his face for remorse, but found none. He was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 23 years. Milne noted that the tariff would have been longer had he killed her in the street rather than at home. She described the trial as an emotional ordeal, but felt relief when the guilty verdict was delivered, though she said it was an empty win.
Impact on MamaSuze and the Community
Rook's death deeply affected the women in MamaSuze, many of whom were already survivors of male violence. Milne struggled to continue providing support while grieving. The continuity of the group has become an act of resistance. One woman from Afghanistan told Milne she was used to such stories from her homeland but never imagined it could happen in London. The group continues to sing, dance, and create art, finding joy alongside tears.
Milne says she feels lucky to live in a country where the criminal justice system works, but questions whether the tariff for domestic homicides should be increased. She called for collective outrage, noting that 113 women were killed by men in the UK in 2025, and 11 other women were killed in the same month as Rook.
A Call for Change
Milne urges society to address the cultural problem of violence against women. She believes men must be encouraged to explore deep-rooted issues and stand up against sexism and misogyny. Rook's brother-in-law has started a men's group, and her brother sings in a choir for men affected by her death. Milne says these initiatives are positive steps.
Despite her grief, Milne finds solace in knowing that Rook's children are thriving, that MamaSuze continues, and that Rook's legacy of love and purpose endures. She says she will never forgive the murderer, but she will not let hate destroy her.
