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The judge set to sentence Kyle Clifford has told the court he considered ordering the triple crossbow and knife killer to be put in restraints his wheelchair so he could be forcibly brought into court to hear his punishment in person for his sickening crimes. Clifford has refused to appear in court to face his victims’ family on Tuesday (March 11).
Clifford, 26, previously pleaded guilty to murdering his former girlfriend Louise Hunt, her mother Carol Hunt, and her sister Hannah Hunt, and was later convicted of raping Louise in a “violent, sexual act of spite”. He will be sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on Tuesday, but the court was told he had again refused to leave his cell at HMP Belmarsh.
Mr Justice Bennathan told the hearing: “The defendant was asked to attend here or on the video link and refused, and I then had an inquiry from Belmarsh as to whether I would order restraints so he should be brought to the video room. I have declined on the basis that the idea of a man in a wheelchair being put in restraints and potentially disrupting these proceedings is simply not appropriate or suitable.
“If the defendant lacks the courage to face today, so be it, but I’m conscious part of this morning will be people paying tribute to the three women who died, and I’m not having that disrupted by anything.” Clifford had attended previous hearings via video link but refused to attend his rape trial.
Prosecutors previously said Clifford became “enraged” when Louise, 25, ended their 18-month relationship, leading him to “carefully” plan the July 9 murders. Clifford gained access to the family home by deceiving Carol Hunt, 61, the wife of BBC racing commentator John Hunt, before stabbing her to death in a “brutal knife attack”.
After killing Mrs Hunt, 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 Hannah Hunt, 28, when she returned to the property in the quiet cul-de-sac of Ashlyn Close in Bushey, Hertfordshire, after work.
Andrew Tate's influence on Kyle Clifford and his time in army
Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC previously told the court the murders were fuelled by the “violent misogyny promoted” by Andrew Tate after it emerged Clifford searched for the controversial social media influencer’s podcast less than 24 hours before the attacks. Clifford, of Enfield, will be sentenced for three counts of murder, one of rape, one of false imprisonment and two counts of possession of an offensive weapon.
Clifford had “no care nor concern beyond himself” during his time in the army, the court heard. Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said: “He appeared unable to accept the authority of others.”
The court heard he was involved in an “alcohol-fuelled” incident in 2021 while in the army in which resulted in “soldiers drinking and then an altercation”. Ms Morgan said Clifford was also involved in a further altercation with civilians and had to be “forcibly ejected from a pub”.
The prosecutor added: “His commanding officer concluded that he… was wholly unsuited to military employment and has no care nor concern beyond himself.” Clifford’s supervisor said he was “unhappy with the way that the defendant spoke about women”, the court heard.
Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said: “The defendant would describe his sexual activity with women in detail and would comment about women within the workplace and whether or not he could have sex with them. For example, saying words such as ‘I could ride on that’.
“These were comments that were being made the time when the defendant was in a relationship with Louise Hunt.” Ms Morgan said another supervisor noted “immaturity” at work and described how he referred to his brother Bradley Clifford, who is serving a life sentence for murder, as a “geezer”.
Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said one of Louise Hunt’s friends had noticed Clifford “behaving in a rude manner” and had observed him “putting on a video of Andrew Tate”. Ms Morgan said: “It was a video which showed animals who had been drugged. She asked the defendant why he was watching this – he said that it was funny.”
Addressing Clifford’s search for Tate’s podcast the day before the murders, Ms Morgan said: “As my Lord correctly noted… 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.”
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