by Mick the Ram

A man who raped and killed his ex-girlfriend with a crossbow, after stabbing her mother to death, before then shooting her sister killing her too, in an attack described as being driven by abject “self pity”, has been jailed for life and told he will never be released from prison.

Kyle Clifford was unable to accept a break-up with Louise Hunt and had tricked his way into her family home in Bushey, Hertfordshire on 9 July last year, where he initially stabbed her mother Carol Hunt to death, before brutally raping his former partner and then savagely shooting the 25-year-old dead with a crossbow.

When Hannah Hunt, Louise’s 28-year-old sister arrived at the property, he turned the crossbow on her fatally injuring her, although the brave woman was able to raise the alarm before losing her fight for life.

The killer fled the scene, but was tracked down 24-hours later to a cemetery just a few miles away with self-inflicted crossbow wounds of his own, which left him paralysed.

Having pleaded guilty back in January, Clifford refused to attend Cambridge Crown Court for sentencing, with the judge Mr Justice Bennathan commenting: “If the defendant lacks the courage to face today, so be it,” before handing the 26-year-old three life sentences with three whole life orders.

The women were the wife and daughters of BBC horse racing commentator John Hunt, who bravely read out a deeply moving victim impact statement in court, which the judge said had been “difficult to listen to” for everyone.

Carefully planned attack

The court was told Clifford arrived at the smart family home shortly after 2.30pm, tricking his way into the house by telling Mrs Hunt he was there to drop off some of Louise’s belongings.

He then immediately stabbed the 61-year-old before waiting for his ex to come into the house from the garden, where she had been working in a specially adapted pod to carry out her dog grooming business.

Raped and then shot in the back

He is now known to have over-powered her, taped her ankles and wrists and proceeded to rape her, before shooting her in the back with the crossbow bolt. He then surreptitiously used her phone to send a text message to her father checking on the exact time he would be arriving home.

Then when Hannah arrived later, he also shot her, but the elder sister had managed to message her partner, Alex Klein, to alert him to what had happened.

The police were on the scene in minutes, but Clifford had managed to get away. He would be tracked down the following day, badly injured after seemingly trying to take his own life.

Judge spares family delay

Although sentences are usually passed at the end of a judge’s closing remarks, Mr Justice Bennathan opened his speech by saying he would be imposing the whole life orders on the killer, to spare family and friends “any unnecessary delay or suspense”.

Clifford was absent from court, but the judge still addressed him directly as if he were there, making the point that he had initially taken the life of Carol Hunt, despite her showing him “nothing but kindness”, even in the moments before being viciously attacked.

“You then raped and killed Louise, who had been as gentle as she could in ending her relationship with you after your arrogance and anger proved too much for her to stand”, the judge stated.

“Soaked in self-pity”

He then highlighted the fact that Hannah had done nothing more than look to protect her younger sister, before summing up the bravery of the murdered women, saying: “They showed a gentle heroism of which you, Kyle Clifford, could only dream,”

The judge went on to pay tribute to “the astonishing dignity and courage” of the Hunt family and friends and labelled Clifford as a man “soaked in self-pity” who held women “in utter contempt”.

Explaining his sentencing considerations, he told the court Clifford would also serve concurrently a 20 year sentence for Louise’s rape, 8 years for false imprisonment, and a year each for the possession of offensive weapons, namely the crossbow and knife.

Impact statements bring silence to court

Shortly before passing sentence the court fell silent as Mr Hunt, his surviving third daughter Amy and Hannah’s boyfriend, Alex Klein, each spoke movingly, with the hush broken only by the sound of sobbing of other family members and even the attending police officers.

Mr Hunt, had actually worked for the police before beginning his broadcasting career, a role in which he had been undertaking on the day of the tragedy, with a commentary stint at a horse racing meeting at Lingfield Park, some 70 miles away from the family home.

“Blessed”

He opened up his impact statement by expressing how blessed he was to have been Carol’s husband and father to both Louise and Hannah, as well as his third daughter Amy. He thanked his wife for being “such a wonderful partner in life and a wonderful mother”.

Mr Hunt then described how Carol had been able to pick up on Clifford’s personal inadequacies right from the start, sensing his immaturity and said all three women had spent their lives bringing “joy, colour and happiness to other people’s lives”.

Life saved?

Choking back the tears, the heartbroken father found the strength to speak of the shocking attack on his youngest daughter: “You incapacitated her, raped her and when you realised Hannah was coming home, you shot her in the back; I can’t imagine a more cowardly act – you couldn’t look her in the eye.

“Louise enjoyed more success and fulfilment in one morning than you achieved in your entire miserable life.”

The devoted husband and father made the point that Hannah had saved his life by somehow managing to sound the alarm, saying without her incredible bravery he genuinely believed he would have been the killer’s fourth victim that day.

He told how although he is “so badly damaged” he is drawing on the love and strength that he still feels from “his girls”.

“Hell” awaits

In a closing message aimed directly at Clifford, Mr Hunt said: “Whatever misery lies ahead for you remember that after your days on earth are done, there will be no release for you.

“The screams of Hell, Kyle, I can hear them faintly now but the red carpet will come out for you and at that point, when the person you could have been meets the person you are, you will realise your miserable fate will last for eternity.”

Escaped same fate “by chance”

Sister Amy said she believed it was only by sheer chance that she was not also murdered that day, and described how Clifford’s “monstrous and selfish actions” had devastated the family and that he had “decided that his own fragile ego and pride were more important”.

Mr Klein, called Clifford “a coward” and remarked that the killer was “simply not good enough for an angel like Louise”. He said of his girlfriend Hannah: “She completed my life; I would give anything to have her back. The world knows how pathetic you are and that my Hannah stopped you in your tracks. You are a weak and insecure little boy who compulsively lied.”

Tribute from investigating team

Outside the court Detective Chief Inspector Nick Gardner, the senior investigating officer in the case, welcomed the whole-life orders and paid tribute to the three women’s bravery, mentioning specifically Hannah, who raised the alarm which “ultimately helped police catch Clifford”.

He went on to add with genuine sadness: “It will never make up for the loss of Louise, Hannah and Carol – three vibrant women in the prime of their lives.”