The boastful ex-soldier who became triple killer

Former soldier Kyle Clifford raped and murdered Louise Hunt, and killed her sister Hannah and mom Carol in assaults described by way of police as “barbaric”. What came about and what has emerged since?

Caution: This text accommodates main points that some other folks would possibly in finding distressing

Days earlier than the assaults, Louise had ended an 18-month dating with Clifford.

She advised Clifford, who she had met thru a courting app, it was once “sucking the existence out of me”.

Her circle of relatives have been relieved. They didn’t like the best way Clifford handled Louise, discovering him disrespectful, boastful, impolite and “atypical”.

He had hidden relationships with different ladies from Louise, and went on a courting website online moments after receiving the message finishing theirs.

However not up to a fortnight later, Louise, Hannah and Carol have been useless, murdered by way of Clifford who had armed himself and tricked his method into the circle of relatives house in Bushey, Hertfordshire.

Senior investigating officer Det Ch Insp Nick Gardner mentioned Clifford’s behaviour “seems to have escalated at an unheard of charge”, and he “plotted a meticulously deliberate assault on Louise and contributors of her circle of relatives”.

Six days earlier than the murders, Clifford, now 26, legally bought a crossbow on-line, in conjunction with a cocking software and 6 bolts, for £350.

He additionally purchased a consultant butchering knife, rope, petrol cans and duct tape, and ordered an air pistol, which by no means arrived.

The day earlier than the killings, Clifford searched YouTube for a podcast from influencer and self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate.

When Clifford arrived on the circle of relatives’s house in Ashlyn Shut, a cul-de-sac, at lunchtime on 9 July, he checked the driveway to peer what number of automobiles have been there.

He then looked for “horse racing nowadays” on his telephone.

Police consider he was once seeking to determine if Louise’s father John, a BBC racing commentator, was once at house.

About 40 mins later, Carol, 61, replied the door to Clifford, who pretended he sought after to go back a few of Louise’s possessions.

“He additionally asks Carol if John is house,” mentioned Det Ch Insp Gardner.

“As soon as inside of, he assaults Carol, killing her with the knife he had hid in his bag.”

In the meantime, Louise, 25, who ran a dog-grooming industry, was once running in a pod within the lawn.

“She is totally ignorant of the attack inflicted on her mom, simply metres away within the circle of relatives house,” mentioned the officer.

Clifford returned to his Seat Ibiza automobile to assemble the crossbow, and went again into the home.

An hour later, Louise entered the home, the place Clifford was once ready. He restrained and raped her.

He then waited greater than two hours, even texting John the usage of Louise’s telephone to invite when he can be house.

As soon as Hannah, 28, had returned house, he killed Louise with the crossbow.

Hannah, nonetheless in her beautician’s workwear, entered and went upstairs, in the beginning ignorant of the horror unfolding.

In a while afterwards, she texted her spouse, urging him to name police.

Clifford then shot her with the crossbow and fled. Fatally wounded, Hannah controlled to name 999.

But if emergency products and services arrived a couple of mins later, they have been not able to avoid wasting her, and her sister and mom have been useless.

Police later discovered the petrol cans empty within the boot of Clifford’s automobile.

His thumbprint was once discovered on one among 3 bottles of vodka on a sideboard within the Hunts’ house, and he had additionally searched on the web whether or not alcohol was once flammable.

Despite the fact that no fireplace was once began, the prosecution mentioned he had “obviously pondered the usage of fireplace one day so as to wreck proof”.

Det Ch Insp Gardner mentioned the killings have been “barbaric” and a “utterly pointless use of violence merely because of a break-up that [Clifford] will have to have treated higher”.

What adopted was once “probably the most vital” manhunt in Hertfordshire Police’s fresh historical past, in step with native commander Ch Supt Jon Simpson.

• 09:54 BST: Clifford is going to a lawn centre along with his mom, father and niece
• 13:07: He drives the 20 miles from his house in Enfield, north London, to the Hunts’ house in Bushey
• 13:37: He arrives close to their house, tests the driveway and searches for “horse racing nowadays” on his telephone
• 14:32: Carol solutions the door to Clifford. As soon as inside of, he kills her with the knife hid in his bag. Louise, ignorant of the attack, is operating within the pod within the lawn
• 15:07: Clifford is going again to his automobile and collects the crossbow, hiding it underneath a blanket
• 16:12: Louise enters the home, the place Clifford is ready. The usage of duct tape, he restrains and rapes her. He then texts John the usage of Louise’s telephone to invite when he’ll be house
• 18:50: Clifford shoots Louise with the crossbow across the time Hannah arrives house. Hannah, unware of what has came about, enters and is going upstairs
• 18:52: Hannah texts her spouse, telling him to name police. Two mins later, Clifford shoots her and leaves with the crossbow. Fatally injured, Hannah calls 999 however dies in a while after
• 19:10: Emergency products and services arrive on the area. Carol and Louise Hunt are discovered useless and unsuccessful resuscitation makes an attempt are made on Hannah

The drive took the atypical step of telling the general public Clifford was once believed to have a crossbow, and made an instantaneous enchantment to him.

Specialist seek groups and armed law enforcement officials have been introduced in to trace him down.

Just about 24 hours later, he was once present in a cemetery close to his circle of relatives’s Enfield house.

However as officials approached, he shot himself with the crossbow, leaving him paralysed from the chest down.

“If this was once an try to finish his personal existence, he left it till the remaining conceivable alternative and intended that the officials that approached him have been uncovered to an enormous quantity of possibility,” mentioned Ch Supt Simpson.

“Regardless of this, within the moments following his detention, they labored to avoid wasting his existence.”

• An inventory of organisations in the United Kingdom providing give a boost to and data with probably the most problems on this tale is to be had at BBC Motion Line

Clifford spent weeks in health center underneath police guard, earlier than he may sooner or later be interviewed – however his “no remark” solutions gave officials little assist.

Det Ch Insp Gardner mentioned Clifford had proven a “whole lack of ability and unwillingness… to in fact handle [the break-up] as it should be”.

He added: “Many different routes – turn out to be a greater particular person – he knew have been to be had to him, however he failed to take action and selected the direction he did.”

Clifford had prior to now admitted murdering the 3 ladies, false imprisonment and possessing offensive guns, however denied rape.

On the other hand, he opted to not attend his trial at Cambridge Crown Court docket, both in particular person or by way of video.

All over the listening to, main points of Clifford’s viewing of a video by way of Andrew Tate emerged.

Tate had described ladies as “intrinsically lazy” and mentioned there was once “no such factor as an impartial feminine”.

The prosecution had advised Clifford have been motivated by way of the similar kind of “violent misogyny promoted by way of Tate”.

On the other hand, the defence argued this subject material had too obscure a hyperlink and was once a ways too prejudicial.

The pass judgement on agreed it was once of restricted relevance and of “nice conceivable prejudice”, and that it will have to now not be put earlier than the jury.

The courtroom heard Louise had advised pals Clifford had a “nasty mood” and behaved in an “competitive approach”.

Louise made a observe on her telephone 5 days earlier than the murders, environment out how Clifford was once “racist”, had “commented he didn’t like transgender other folks” and had used “belittling language”.

Within the days earlier than the killings, Clifford had searched for the way to shop for a crossbow and had accessed pornography, prosecutor Alison Morgan KC mentioned.

This incorporated a video of former HMP Wandsworth jail officer Linda De Sousa Abreu, who admitted having intercourse with a prisoner remaining yr.

She mentioned his violent intentions have been proven “thru the usage of guns and his sexual preoccupations”.

Clifford had tried to re-ignite his dating with Louise, however was once rebuffed, she mentioned.

“This rejection angered the defendant,” she mentioned.

“He was once indignant at Louise, but in addition on the Hunt circle of relatives most often, as he accurately assumed that pals and members of the family had steered Louise to finish the connection with him.”

Within the absence of the jury, the prosecution argued the truth that Clifford had “plenty of sexual relationships” with different ladies confirmed contempt and a loss of recognize towards Louise.

Jurors have been proven pictures of Clifford on the lawn centre at the day of the murders, all over which he gained a choice, which went to voicemail, from every other lady he was once in a dating with.

Clifford have been a trooper in The Queen’s Dragoon Guards, however left the Military after two years in 2022, with out seeing energetic provider.

His handiest earlier interplay with police have been in terms of a small medicine subject and a struggle he was once all in favour of, and he was once now not recognized to the drive for home violence.

He isn’t the one assassin in his circle of relatives, then again. His older brother Bradley was once jailed in 2018 for killing a moped rider after his “prized” Ford Mustang was once broken.

Neighbours in Enfield advised the BBC how the circle of relatives “saved themselves to themselves”.

In the meantime, John Hunt and his surviving daughter Amy have mentioned their devastation “can’t be put into phrases”.

“They have got proven immense bravery to paintings with us all over this era,” mentioned Det Ch Insp Gardner.

“Necessarily they have got misplaced over part in their circle of relatives and it is not possible for someone to in point of fact fathom how that may affect on the ones people, however they have got been not anything wanting outstanding with me and my group… and I would love to thank them for that.”