Inside crossbow killer's woodland lair where he hid from police after triple murder

This is the chilling location where triple murderer Kyle Clifford hid after brutally killing his ex-girlfriend, her sister and their mother. Clifford was apprehended the day after he murdered 25-year-old Louise, her elder sister Hannah, 28, and their 61-year-old mother, Carol Hunt.

The three women, all relatives of BBC racing commentator John Hunt, were discovered dead at their Bushey home on July 9, following a distress call made by Hannah.

A large-scale manhunt for Clifford ensued, culminating in his discovery at Lavender Hill cemetery in North London. Images from the scene show armed officers swarming the area and Clifford being stretchered away after shooting himself in the chest with a crossbow.

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Photos from within the cemetery reveal armed officers combing through the undergrowth where Clifford was believed to have been hiding. His car was found nearby and a heat-seeking infrared camera was instrumental in locating him in the wooded area.

Clifford was subsequently rushed to hospital for emergency surgery and questioned by police days later. It was revealed in court that both Louise and Hannah were killed using the crossbow, while their mother Carol was repeatedly stabbed with a 10-inch butcher's knife, sustaining injuries to her torso, back, hands and knee, reports the Mirror.

Hannah was found still alive, with a crossbow bolt lodged in her chest, in the main doorway of the house when police arrived at the horrific scene that evening.

Louise was discovered restrained with duct tape around her wrists and ankles, having been shot in the chest. Clifford, aged 26, entered a guilty plea to the triple murder and a charge of false imprisonment of Louise at Cambridge Crown Court on Wednesday.

He also confessed to holding two offensive weapons, specifically a crossbow and knife. Racing commentator John Hunt for 5 Live and his youngest daughter Amy released a statement saying: "The devastation we are experiencing cannot be put into words."

Louise had kicked off her entrepreneurial journey with a dog grooming business named Groom and Glow, while her sister Hannah was lauded as a "talented" beautician with her own enterprise.

Clifford, residing on Rendlesham Road, Enfield and an ex-military serviceman from about 2019 for three years, made a court appearance via video link on Wednesday, where he pleaded not guilty to raping Louise Hunt. His trial concerning the rape allegation is scheduled for March 3.

After these attacks, the Home Office expressed that Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is swiftly considering more stringent crossbow regulations. Despite the proximity of the massacre to the King's Speech, there was no mention of actions regarding crossbow legislation.

The review process is reported to be ongoing, with decisions yet to be finalised, though the outcomes might soon become public. Past government deliberations considered adopting controls akin to firearm licensing, spurred by an incident involving a crossbow aimed at the late Queen.

At present, there's no registration system for owning a crossbow, nor is there a requirement for a licence, and they seem to be easily purchasable online. However, it's against the law for anyone under 18 to buy or own one, with individuals carrying a crossbow in public without a reasonable excuse potentially facing up to four years in prison.