John Hunt blames Kyle Clifford's family who knew he bought crossbow

BBC star John Hunt has blamed Kyle Clifford's family for knowing of his purchase of a crossbow before his wife and two daughters were murdered.

The ex-soldier was today found guilty of raping his former partner, Louise Hunt, before he killed her alongside her mother and sister at their home in Bushey, Hertfordshire, on July 9 last year.

Clifford, 26, slaughtered 61-year-old Carol Hunt with a ten-inch knife before shooting dead Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28, with a crossbow in a horrific attack that lasted four hours.

BBC racing commentator John Hunt was Carol's wife and father to Louise and Hannah.

The murderer, who was left paralysed from the waist down after shooting himself in the chest with the crossbow, had been unable to accept that Louise dumped him because of his offensive and 'belittling' behaviour that troubled friends and family.

Members of the murderer's family were aware of the crossbow and even witnessed Clifford leave the house with it before he committed the killings. 

Kyle spoke to his brother in jail about buying a crossbow because they shared interest in dangerous weapons, although there is no evidence Bradley egged him on to carry out the attacks.

Both the crossbow, which fired six bolts, and the knife were bought online shortly afterwards.

 On the morning of the murders, Clifford, one of four children from Enfield, north London, went to a garden centre with his family just as if it was any other day.

His mother who was born in Malta and his retired heating engineer father are well liked in the area.

He also received a message from his sister Sian. The conversation that ensued, which was disclosed in court but not reported, is chilling with hindsight.

Clifford was asked: 'Why are you taking your crossbow out? What are you playing at? It's illegal.'

He brushed off her concerns and replied: 'I'm at Zack's. lol [laugh out loud]. Chill. Shooting in back garden. Chill.'

She then tells him: 'Hmm, OK. Well, don't take it out. Put it in the boot.'

He reassures her, saying: 'Yeah, it's wrapped up in the boot. DW [don't worry]'.

But at 1.07pm, he left Enfield and began the 40-minute drive to Bushey.  

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Cowardly Kyle Clifford is handed whole life order after slaughtering BBC star John Hunt's family

Kyle Clifford was asked to attend court but refused.

Mr Hunt told the court he wanted to deliver his victim impact statement 'eye to eye with Kyle' - but was denied the chance by the cowardly killer.

He said: 'When I was first invited to provide a victim impact statement, I initially misunderstood its purpose, do I really need to detail the impact of having three quarters of my family murdered?

'But then I realised that his was my final opportunity to say what I wanted to say, specifically to you, Kyle, words that will also be directed to your family, who will carry guilt forwards with them for the rest of their lives.

'They knew about the weapons, they knew.' 

Louise Hunt acknowledged that Clifford's family had a history of violence in a note before she was killed. 

She made a note to herself on her phone setting out the 'reasons why she should not be sad about ending the relationship' with Clifford, the court heard.

Jurors were told that the note, titled 'When you're sad, look!', included that his family was a 'mess', his 'road rage' and his use of 'belittling' language.

The note included reference to his brother Bradley Clifford who was previously jailed for life for murder, and that Clifford did not find what he did 'horrendous' and still saw him every other week.

Prosecutor Ms Morgan said the list also included how Clifford believed he had a higher IQ than Louise's family and that he found his father's and his brother's violence 'funny'.

Kyle's brother, Bradley Clifford, 30, was sentenced to life with a minimum of 23 years in 2018 after murdering 18-year-old Sobhan Khan. 

Bradley, seeking revenge after a bottle was smashed on his 'prized' red Mustang in 2017, ploughed into Jahshua Francis, 19, who was riding a moped and his pillion passenger Mr Khan.

He drunkenly chased down their scooter through Enfield at nearly double the speed limit on the wrong side of the road.

The two teenagers were sent flying into the air when Bradley struck them. And while Mr Francis miraculously escaped without serious injuries, Mr Khan was badly wounded.

The trial at the Old Bailey heard how Bradley, in an 'intense range', proceeded to attack Mr Khan as he lay helplessly on the street, punching him ferociously nine times.

Before the attack, Bradley told his girlfriend over WhatsApp that he would put a knife down the throats and 'rain hell' on anyone who interfered with his Ford Mustang - something the judge said he regarded as a 'status symbol which he took pride in'.

Bradley was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 23 years for murdering Mr Khan. He was also sentenced to seven years for the attack on Mr Francis, to run concurrently.

John Hunt's victim impact statement in full: 

My name is John Hunt and I am blessed to be Carol's husband and Hannah, Louise and Amy's dad.

Thank you for returning the guilty verdict. That you had to consider the evidence was purely down to Kyle choosing to not admit responsibility.

You too are victims of his callous, cowardly, vindictive behaviours and I wish he hadn't put you through that.

I so wanted to deliver these words, eye to eye with Kyle. I will continue to act as if I am doing so.

When I was first invited to provide a victim impact statement i initially misunderstood its purpose.

Do I really need to detail the impact of having three quarters of my family murdered?

But then I realised that this was my final opportunity to say what I want to say to you specifically Kyle, words that will also be directed to your family who will carry guilt forward for the rest of their lives.

I know you valued them so poorly from all the conversations we had Kyle but I suppose even they must be damaged by what you have done.

I also want to confirm to the world the truth, especially how Louise conducted herself within a textbook, mature breakup on her part, understanding the conflict of saying goodbye to someone she once loved but not allowing those memories to cloud her certain knowledge that you simply failed to be the person she needed.

You failed.

I am so proud of all of my girls. Unlike you Kyle, at every step of their lives they made the correct choices to improve themselves as people.

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

Do you recall Kyle, how kind we all were to you? Helping you and Louise enjoy trips away, do you remember how she loved a swanky hotel? You were always invited to meals out.

A Sunday lunch at the pub or a special celebration, you were always made welcome.

The only Christmas you spent together was at our house. Was it four or five days you spent with us? The food, the games, the laughter, the normality... what was it about that blissful existence you hated so much, Kyle? 

Could you not handle how pleasant it was, such a contrast to what you were used to.

The trips to Italy, Disneyland and many more; Louise gave your relationship so much effort which you were never able or willing to match.

We all offered you kindness, especially Carol. She had picked up on your personal inadequacies right from the start.

She sensed your immaturity but always knew Louise would work things out. Carol still displayed her compassion right up until the moment she answered the door to you on July 9th.

Do you remember her kindness Kyle; how she urged you to get some relationship help and guidance for fear that you would never be able to sustain a lasting relationship.

You calmly accepted that advice on the doorstep and then, seconds later savagely stabbed her eight times and ended her life.

When I challenge myself about how you were able to deceive us all, I simply say that you are a psychopath who, for the duration of your time together with Louise, was able to disguise yourself as an ordinary human being.

You reserved your best, make-believe version of yourself for the times you were in our house.

You managed to maintain that veneer of decency throughout the first year of your time with Louise, but you couldn't maintain it in the early part of 2024.

Although Carol and I never witnessed any alarming behaviour, your visits became less frequent.

You began the first of two affairs that we know about, your aversion to a days hard work continued as you messed up yet another job at Reynolds

It wasn't only the Army that found you worthless. I often think of the list Louise wrote to herself to remind her of the reasons that you fell short.

The racism. She was rightly disgusted by that.

Your belittling language. The fact that your family is a mess. Like any women should be allowed to do, she worked you out despite repeated deceit and said enough is enough.

I hope women around the world will take Louise's bravery as a shining beacon for their lives. If you feel enough is enough, then it is.

I'd like to remind you Kyle, of how gracious Louise's was to you in that final text to you. This is what she said on the 26th June, the morning after she had finished with you face to face.

She texted you thanking you for what was a wonderful year together, explaining how much she once loved you, that she never wanted any animosity to develop between you and that she wanted you to take care of yourself.

You texted back saying: 'Thank you for the clarity Louise, so we can both start our healing process. I love you so much and I will for a very long time. I will always be here for you if you ever need me, please don't hesitate. I wish you all the best and take care of yourself too.'

The difference was, we know now, that Louise meant every word whereas you simply lied.

You didn't love her enough to stop you having those two affairs in the spring of last year?

Or to start planning to kill her and her family just days later. And that an horrific rape on her was part of the plan. Your levels of misogyny are off the scale.

Louise's favourite novel from her schooldays was Harper Lee's classic, To Kill a Mockingbird. She was captivated by the goodness of Atticus Finch both as a father and a lawyer.

She would often quote lines from the novel to match life's challenges. One of those quotes that comes to mind, right here in this moment is that of Miss Maudie reasserting Atticus' assertion that it's a sin to Kill a Mockingbird.

She said: 'Your fathers right. Mockingbirds don't do one thing except make music for us to enjoy.

They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corn cribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us.

That's why it's a sin to kill a Mockingbird. ' All their lives Carol, Hannah and Louise similarly spent their time bringing joy and colour and happiness to other people's lives. You killed three beautiful Mockingbirds, Kyle.

So, to remind you, over a period of four hours you brutally killed Carol, waited over an hour until Louise came into the house.

You incapacitated her, raped her and when you realised Hannah was coming home, you shot Louise in the back.

I can't imagine a more cowardly act. You couldn't look her in the eye. You murdered Hannah minutes later. So four hours.

A few weeks later I also spent four hours with them Kyle; in the funeral directors. 

he usual room wasn't big enough for three bodies but they removed a partition wall so we could all be together.

I sat for a while with Louise to my right, she looked so peaceful and Hannah to my left.

I couldn't quite reach to hold their hands at the same time. Amy and I placed a photograph of Chester in Louise's right hand.

Carol was at the top of the room. She was dressed in a beautiful orange dress she had bought for a wedding we went to a month beforehand.

I stroked her hair and told her how much I loved her.

I thanked her for being such a wonderful partner in life and wonderful mother. They were my four hours Kyle.

And what about me? The impact of what you have done will be taken to my grave but on the way there, I want you to know that I stand strong before you today.

As you are consigned to a fate far greater than death, I can draw on the love and strength that I still feel from the girls in every moment of every day. I am lucky.

I have the most wonderful daughter, Amy who gives me such focus and purpose. I have Gareth and Alex.

I have my extended family, reaching far beyond my mum, brothers and sister, aunts and uncles and cousins.

I have many friends who watch out for me on an hourly basis. Carol's friends are mine and I now have a renewed relationship with Hannah's and Louise's best friends.

I will always be there for them and they will be there for me too.

So whilst I am so badly damaged, I am determined to see what my future is, surrounded by so many amazing people.

And the chance to do has been gifted to me by my incredible Hannah.

I firmly believe that, had she not managed to show such amazing physical and mental strength in raising the alarm after you fatally injured her, then I would have been your fourth victim that day. 

Hannah handed me a second chance, one that she worked so hard to achieve for me.

Do you really think after what she did for me, I will slight her memory and example by just giving up?

Even though the days are difficult and feel on many occasions, impossible, I will channel my inner Atticus Finch at all times.

He said, 'I want you to see what real courage is. Instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand, its when you know you are licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.

And now comes the time when your fate on this earth will be confirmed.

Every single person in the world, I'm thinking of mothers and fathers in particular, especially those daughters, now expects the formality of a life sentence. Never again to make choices of your own.

To breathe fresh air only occasionally. To eat when someone else tells you to eat. But just remember one thing.

Whatever sentence you are about to receive, whatever misery lies ahead for you for the next 60 years.

Remember that after your days on earth are done, on your dying day, there will be no release for you.

The screams of hell, Kyle, I can hear them faintly now.

The red carpet will come out for you.

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.