Crossbow killer Kyle Clifford pleads guilty to murdering BBC commentator's wife and two daughters

A 26-year-old man who fatally shot his ex-girlfriend and her sister with a crossbow before stabbing their mother to death has admitted carrying out their murders. Kyle Clifford used duct tape to tie up former partner Louise Hunt's arms and ankles.

He then shot the 25-year-old through the chest with a crossbow bolt at her family home, located in a quiet cul-de-sac in Hertfordshire last July. Carol Hunt, the 61-year-old mother of Louise, sustained stab wounds to her torso, back, hands and knees after she was attacked by Clifford with a butcher's knife, measuring 10in.

Police had been called by Hannah Hunt, 28, who was discovered in the main doorway of the house, with a crossbow bolt to the chest. Hannah had told officers she feared she was going to die, having been shot while her sister and mum had also been attacked.

READ MORE: Ford Focus ST driver ends up in a bush after West Midlands Police chase

Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp, click the link to join

Hannah was still alive when police arrived at the property on Ashlyn Close, in Bushey, at around 7.10pm on July 9. A manhunt was launched after the attack for Clifford, who served in the military from 2019 for around three years.

The search continued for a number of hours, until he was found injured in Lavender Hill Cemetery in Enfield, north London, after shooting himself in the chest with the crossbow. Appearing via video link at Cambridge Crown Court on Wednesday, Clifford pleaded guilty to three counts of murder, one of false imprisonment against Louise Hunt, and two counts of possession of offensive weapons – the crossbow and the knife.

He pleaded not guilty to a charge of raping Louise Hunt. Following the attacks, the Home Office said Home Secretary Yvette Cooper was urgently considering whether tougher crossbow laws were needed.

In the King’s Speech, which took place just days after the killings, there was no proposal to take action on crossbows. The PA news agency understands the review is ongoing and no decisions have yet been made.

The previous government looked at bringing in firearms licensing-style rules in the wake of an attempt to kill the late Queen with a crossbow. There is currently no registration system for owning a crossbow, no requirement for a licence and they appear to be readily available to buy online.

But it is illegal for anyone under 18 to buy or own one, with anyone carrying a crossbow in public without a reasonable excuse facing up to four years behind bars. John Hunt, a BBC commentator, and his third daughter Amy previously issued a statement following the incident, which said: “The devastation we are experiencing cannot be put into words.”