Crossbow killer Kyle Clifford found guilty of raping ex-girlfriend during triple murder

Kyle Clifford faces a whole life sentence after being convicted of raping his ex-girlfriend during an hours-long attack in which he murdered her and her sister with a crossbow and her mum with a butcher’s knife.

The former soldier, 26, began plotting the ‘terrible’ attack on Louise Hunt, 25, and her family within days of her calling an end to their 18-month relationship last summer.

He turned up at the family home in Bushey, Hertfordshire, on July 9 and deceived Louise’s mum Carol Hunt, 61, into allowing him inside, where he killed her in a ‘brutal’ attack.

Clifford then calmly went to fetch a crossbow from his car and lay in wait for around an hour for Louise to come back inside from the garden pod where she ran a dog grooming business.

When she stepped into the house, Clifford bound her with duct tape, gagged her and held her hostage for two-and-a-half hours.

During that time, he raped her in what prosecutors called a ‘violent, sexual act of spite’ after becoming ‘enraged by her rejection of him’.

Carol Hunt, 61, Louise Hunt, 25, and Hannah Hunt, 28, all died in the attack last summer (Pictures: Hertfordshire Police/PA)

Louise was eventually shot dead with the crossbow, which Clifford also used to murder her sister Hannah, 28, when she arrived home from work, Cambridge Crown Court has heard.

Clifford, who is now paralysed from the neck down after turning the crossbow in himself as police drew near, denied a singled charge of rape but was found guilty today.

He had already admitted three counts of murder, one of false imprisonment against Louise Hunt, and two counts of possession of offensive weapons in relation to the crossbow and knife.

Alison Morgan KC, prosecuting, said of the rape: ‘It was a violent, sexual act of spite, before he then killed her.’

In her closing speech today, she told jurors: ‘If he could not have [Louise], no one else was going to, and he was going to take her family down with her.’

Jurors were told Louise’s friends and family ‘hoped that the relationship would come to an end’ after they became concerned about the way Clifford treated her.

Louise told friends he had a ‘nasty temper’ and behaved in an ‘aggressive manner’, with her sister Hannah deeming him to be ‘disrespectful, rude and arrogant’.

Clifford had also been in relationships with other women while he was dating Louise ‘which he hid’ from her, it was said.

Louise Hunt was murdered by Clifford days after ending their 18-month relationship (Picture: Facebook)

The ‘catalyst’ for their eventual break-up was Clifford’s ‘rude behaviour’ at a wedding on June 23.

He implied he had ‘slept with a number of people at the wedding, which upset Louise’ and made several ‘patronising comments’ to her, including about her ability to use an oven.

Louise messaged Clifford on June 23, the day they got back from the wedding, saying ‘we definitely need to have a conversation’, the court heard.

In his replies, Clifford was said to have told her he wasn’t going to ‘take s***’ from her, adding: ‘I’ll be damned if I ever beg someone to love me for who I am.’

Ms Morgan told the court that in their message exchanges, Louise told Clifford she was always ‘upset’, that the relationship was ‘sucking the life out of me’, and she had ‘cried far too many times’.

Louise agreed to meet Clifford the following day, the court heard, and the two went for a walk together while Hannah waited nearby.

Hannah later messaged her boyfriend, saying: ‘Yeah she’s okay. He’s obvs turned on the water works and has now made her “confused”. She’s taking a few days to think about it.’

On June 26, Louise sent Clifford a message saying: ‘I just feel right now I owe it to myself to take some space and walk away for my own sanity and health.’

She ended it saying: ‘Thank you for the incredible time we’ve had this year, I hope you know how much I love you and still will for a long time.

‘I never want there to be anything nasty between us ever. Take care of yourself always please.’

Ms Morgan said Clifford appeared to accept this position, and said in his reply: ‘Thank you for the clarity Louise so we can both start our healing process.

‘I love you so much and will do for a long time.’

But that position changed within a matter of days, with Clifford spending £350 ordering a crossbow, six bolts and a cocking device online.

The crossbow Kyle Clifford used in the attack (Picture: Hertfordshire Constabulary)

The packaging of the knife, which has never been recovered (Picture: Hertfordshire Constabulary)

He also ordered an air gun, which never arrived, along with duct tape, a ‘high level butchering knife’ for £89, and a length of rope, jurors were told.

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’.

Summarising Clifford’s motive for the attack, Ms Morgan said: ‘Louise instigated the end of the relationship, supported by her friends and family.

‘In the days that followed, the message prompted the defendant to try to rekindle the relationship in various ways, all of which were rebuffed by Louise Hunt.

‘This rejection angered the defendant.

‘He was angry at Louise, but also at the Hunt family generally, as he correctly assumed that friends and family members had advised Louise to end the relationship with him.’

The prosecutor continued: ‘The attack was carefully planned and executed, involving the deceit of Louise’s mother Carol Hunt, in order to gain access to the family home, followed by a brutal knife attack upon Carol Hunt.

‘The defendant then waited for Louise to enter the property, before restraining, raping and ultimately murdering her with a crossbow.

‘He then killed Louise’s sister Hannah Hunt with the crossbow, when she returned to the property after work.’

Court artist of empty chairs in the dock as Alison Morgan KC, opens the case for theprosecution in the trial of Kyle Clifford (Picture: Elizabeth Cook/PA)

Detectives said Clifford was determined to kill Louise ‘and anyone else he needed to’ after she broke up with him.

Chief Superintendent Jon Simpson said: ‘The scale of Kyle Clifford’s crimes is unprecedented in terms of male violence against women and girls and is totally shocking.’

Despite the frightening escalation in Clifford’s behaviour, this was no ‘crime of passion’.

‘Clifford carried out this killing of three innocent women with cold-blooded calculation and cruelty,’ Detective Chief Inspector Nick Gardner said.

‘To be clear, there was no wrong-doing by Louise – she simply exercised her right to end her relationship with Clifford as she was no longer happy in it. Nothing more.

‘In the subsequent days, Clifford plotted a meticulously planned attack on Louise and members of her family.

‘We believe Clifford intended to kill Louise and anyone else he needed to to achieve that aim.’

Clifford has not offered his own explanation for the appalling attack on July 9.

But notes found on his phone have given police an insight into his mindset at the time.

‘He clearly knew there were healthy ways of dealing with the breakup,’ DCI Gardner said.

‘However, he chose not to take those paths. He simply “didn’t want to” do that.’

DCI Gardner added: ‘Policing has done to tackle male violence against women and girls in recent years, however Clifford’s actions were truly unprecedented, at least here in Hertfordshire.

‘I would like to pay tribute to the victims’ family who have shown incredible bravery throughout this horrendous period and continue to do so.

‘We cannot begin to understand the intense grief and pain that has been brought upon them as a result of what happened.’

James Smith