Clifford receives a life sentence for the ‘brutal and cowardly’ murders of Carol Hunt, 61, Louise Hunt, 25, and Hannah Hunt, 28.
A former British soldier who killed three women at their family home north of London using a crossbow and a knife has been sentenced to a whole-life order, meaning he will never be released from prison.
Kyle Clifford, 26, was given a life sentence for each of the three “brutal and cowardly” murders of Carol Hunt, 61, the wife of BBC sports commentator John Hunt, and their two daughters, Louise Hunt, 25, and Hannah Hunt, 28.
Clifford was convicted of three counts of murder, one count of false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons.
He was also found guilty of raping Louise Hunt, his ex-partner, during the “carefully planned” attack on the family.
Judge Joel Bennathan delivered the sentence in Clifford’s absence on Tuesday after he refused to attend the hearing at Cambridge Crown Court in eastern England.
“The evidence I have heard shows you to be a jealous man soaked in self-pity – a man who holds women in utter contempt,” Bennathan said.
Prosecutors stated that Clifford planned the murders for days after becoming enraged when Louise, increasingly concerned about his behavior, ended their 18-month relationship.
During the trial, the jury was shown evidence that Clifford gained access to the family home in the quiet residential neighborhood of Bushey, northeast of London, by deceiving Carol Hunt under the pretense of returning Louise’s belongings. He then brutally stabbed her to death.
Clifford “lay in wait” for an hour for Louise to enter the house, where he restrained, raped, and murdered her with a crossbow. He later fatally shot Hannah Hunt when she returned home after work.
Following the murders, police launched a manhunt for the suspect. Clifford was found injured the next day in a cemetery in Enfield, north London.
He had shot himself in the chest with the crossbow and remains in a wheelchair, paralyzed from the chest down.
Before the sentencing, John Hunt expressed his desire to deliver his victim impact statement “eye to eye with Kyle.”
“When I questioned how you were able to deceive us all, I simply concluded that you are a psychopath who, for the duration of your time with Louise, was able to disguise yourself as an ordinary human being,” John Hunt told the court.
“I hope women around the world will take Louise’s bravery as a shining beacon for their lives,” he said.
For the latest updates and more news, visit ZTC News and Z News Today. Stay informed with our comprehensive coverage!