Triple-killer Kyle Clifford has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order for the rape and murder of his ex-partner Louise Hunt and the murder of her mother, Carol Hunt, and sister Hannah Hunt.
Clifford previously pleaded guilty to murdering Louise, Carol and Hannah and was later convicted of raping Louise in a “violent, sexual act of spite”.
The sentencing judge called Clifford a “jealous man, soaked in self-pity. A man who holds women in utter contempt,” before reading out his sentence at Cambridge Crown Court.
Clifford again refused to appear in court to face his victims’ family on Tuesday, who gave emotional statements to court.
John Hunt, father to Louise and Hannah, told the court he had wanted to deliver his victim impact statement “eye to eye with Kyle”, described him as “callous, cowardly and vindictive”.
The BBC racing commentator fought back tears as he read his statement to the court ahead of Clifford’s sentencing, describing him as a “psychopath” who “deceived” his family.
Mr Hunt added that he was proud of his girls and said Louise had left Clifford after saying “enough is enough”.
“I hope women round the world will take Louise’s bravery as a shining beacon for their lives,” he said.
“If you feel enough is enough, then it is.”
Amy Hunt, Louise and Hannah’s older sister, called Clifford a “monster” and said that what he did “to my baby sister is nothing short of demonic”.
She broke down and wept part way through her victim impact statement at Cambridge Crown Court on Tuesday, saying: “For dad and I, you have callously and coldly taken not one, not two but the three most important people in our lives outside of each other.
“You planned to take the lives of three women who have never done anything to hurt you and for what – you got dumped,” she said.
A court previously heard the murders were fuelled by the “violent misogyny promoted” by Tate, after it emerged that Clifford searched for the controversial social media influencer’s podcast less than 24 hours before the attacks.
In court, addressing Clifford’s search for Tate’s podcast, Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC , said his decision to “turn to Andrew Tate” the night before he murdered three people was “no coincidence”.
She said: “Andrew Tate can properly be described as a poster boy for misogynists – a poster boy for those who view women as possession to be controlled.
“In that context, and in light of all the other background material, it is no coincidence, the prosecution submit, that it was Andrew Tate that the defendant turned to the night before he would go off to commit these acts of violence against women.”
The 26-year-old was found guilty by a jury at Cambridge Crown Court last week after around 45 minutes – accepting the prosecution’s case that the rape on Louise Hunt was a “violent, sexual act of spite”.
Clifford was tried in his absence after refusing to leave his cell at HMP Belmarsh, the court was told on Thursday.
Prosecutors previously said Clifford became “enraged” when 25-year-old Louise ended their 18-month relationship – leading him to “carefully” plan the July 9 murders.
Clifford gained access to the family home by deceiving 61-year-old Carol before stabbing her to death in a “brutal knife attack”.
After killing her, the defendant then “lay in wait” for an hour for Louise to enter the house, before restraining, raping and ultimately murdering her with a crossbow.
He then fatally shot 28-year-old Hannah Hunt when she returned to the property in a quiet cul-de-sac in Bushey, Hertfordshire, after work.
Clifford previously admitted three counts of murder, one of false imprisonment against Louise, and two counts of possession of offensive weapons – the crossbow and the knife.
On the day of the murders, the court heard that customers of Louise’s dog grooming business, based in a pod in the Hunt family’s garden, were using the gate at the side of the house “not realising what was happening” when Carol was murdered.
The jury panel was told a faint scream could be heard from the address shortly after Louise entered the house, and she was found to have been restrained with tape at the wrist and ankles.
Hannah is heard on audio at the Hunt family home saying “Kyle I swear to God” after returning home and appearing to find Clifford in the house, the court heard.
Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said Hannah messaged her partner, Alex Klein, telling him to “call police… immediately. To mine. Now. Kyle here. Police now. He’s tying us up”.
Clifford’s sister had messaged him on the day of the attacks asking him “what are you playing at?” when she realised he had taken the crossbow out with him.
The defendant told her he was doing nothing “illegal” and that he was shooting it in his friend’s back garden.
Following the attacks, Clifford, who served in the military from 2019 for around three years, became the subject of a manhunt for a number of hours before he was found injured in Lavender Hill Cemetery in Enfield, north London.
He had shot himself in the chest with the crossbow he had used to kill Louise and Hannah, which left him paralysed from the chest downwards.
Ms Morgan said that in the days leading up to the attacks, Clifford had searched for how to purchase a crossbow and had accessed pornography, including for a video of former HMP Wandsworth prison officer Linda De Sousa Abreu, who admitted having sex with a prisoner last year.
The prosecutor said the defendant’s violent intentions were shown “through the use of weapons and his sexual preoccupations”.
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
