Kyle Clifford: Wanted in connection with triple murder in Bushey, 3 women murdered in home, 9th July 2024 *arrest*

[Honeybirdette]

Does he have to attend? I know they were bringing in extra powers to force people to attend their sentencing, but is that currently in effect?

 

[Sweeper2000]

Does he have to attend? I know they were bringing in extra powers to force people to attend their sentencing, but is that currently in effect?

no i don't believe he does and don't believe he will. maybe if hes been told it may feature in getting something other than a wlo which i have crossed my fingers for. that legislation is yet to be finalised so is not in effect.

@bobbymkii yeh i did think the nature of what happened 100% deserves a WLO, the mitigating factors don't really have much if any impact imo.

 

[Cherwell]

I think forcing a trial for the rape charge hasn't helped his cause.

 

[Sweeper2000]

I think forcing a trial for the rape charge hasn't helped his cause.

I hadnt thought of that. anyone know if that can be used across the charges and as a sign of bad character? i think as much and am hoping so. certainly goes against the thought he deserves any leniency whatsoever even with a g plea and no previous. plenty in the trial to show him for what he is as well like the cheating even at the time of the evnts.

 

[Kemug]

And..his preoccupation was of a sexual nature hence he was looking at this particular video. I think prosecution are aiming to imply his state of mind was on m*rder but also sex

OMO

Plus he may have been thinking that even if he was caught and jailed, he could still have a sex life.

 

[Yellowbelly]

These are the current sentencing guidlines for murder. Clearly, the start point for the calculation is going to be Whole Life, given that the crime meets this criteria -

(2)Cases that would normally fall within sub-paragraph (1)(a) include—

(a)the murder of two or more persons, where each murder involves any of the following—

(i)a substantial degree of premeditation or planning,

(ii)the abduction of the victim, or

(iii)sexual or sadistic conduct

Now, he's going to get some credit for pleading guilty to the murder charges, and perhaps this explains why the CPS pursued the rape case rather than just letting it sit on file and moving straight to sentencing. Perhaps they were worried he would get enough credit for the guilty plea that his sentence would end up as something less than a WLO, so the CPS decided to try and beef up the aggravating factors side of the equation by proving a sexual motivation in open court.

Sentencing Act 2020

An Act to consolidate certain enactments relating to sentencing.

www.legislation.gov.uk

 

[Yellowbelly]

BBC live feed

BBC News - Bushey crossbow killer to be sentenced for triple murder
Bushey crossbow killer to be sentenced for triple murder - BBC News

 

[Alyce]

9m ago10.43 GMT

Ben Quinn
Ben Quinn is reporting from Cambridge Crown Court

Kyle Clifford has refused to be present in court via video link for his sentencing, those gathered have been told by Mr Justice Joel Bennathan.

There had been discussion about putting into restraints and bringing to the court remotely but the judge said he had declined

“If the defendant lacks the court to face today so be it but I am conscious that part of this morning will be about people paying tribute to the three women who died and I am not having anything disrupt that,” he said.

“I will address the defendant on the basis that no doubt my comments and those of the family will reach him.”

John Hunt and his surviving daughter, Amy, are sitting on one side of Court 1 with other others around them.

Crossbow killer Kyle Clifford refusing to attend court to be sentenced for murders of mother and two daughters – latest updates

Clifford raped and shot dead Louise Hunt and killed her sister Hannah Hunt and their mother Carol Hunt

www.theguardian.com

 

[Alyce]

7m ago10.45 GMT

Kyle Clifford committed acts of 'extreme violence' against the Hunt family - prosecution​

The prosecution is outlining the facts of the case. Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC says Kyle Clifford committed acts of “extreme violence” against the Hunt family.

“He correctly assumed friends and family members had advised Louise to end the relationship,” Morgan told the court.

“He set about planning a catastrophic attack on the Hunt family.”

“Those events came to be because of their relationship ending as it did towards the later stages in June of 2024,” Morgan continued.

“Louise Hunt instigated the end of that relationship. She was supported in doing so by her friends and family.

“In the days that followed, the defendant was prompted to try to rekindle that relationship.

“When Louise Hunt held firm, that rejection angered the defendant. He was angry, not just at Louise Hunt, but also at the Hunt family generally.”

Crossbow killer Kyle Clifford refusing to attend court to be sentenced for murders of mother and two daughters – latest updates

Clifford raped and shot dead Louise Hunt and killed her sister Hannah Hunt and their mother Carol Hunt

www.theguardian.com

 

[Alyce]

Several media outlets running live blogs ..


19 minutes ago

Kyle Clifford has refused to come to court for his sentencing​

Mr Justice Bennathan enters and tells the court Clifford has refused to leave his cell at HMP Belmarsh for the sentencing hearing.
The prison asked if he should be put in restraints and brought to a videolink room, but the judge said no.
“The idea of a man in a wheelchair being put in restraints and potentially disrupting proceedings in the videolink room is simply not appropriate”, said the judge.
He points out some of the court hearing will involve tributes to the victims, and he is not prepared for Clifford to have the chance to disrupt that.
“If he lacks the courage to face today, so be it.”

Crossbow killer Kyle Clifford jailed for whole life for triple murder

Kyle Clifford was handed a whole life sentence for the murders of Carol, Hannah, and Louise Hunt

www.standard.co.uk

 

[Inspector Evans]

u thnk they will take into account "risk posed" ? thats the dodgy bit imo. the defence may argue hes minimum threat in the future as he had no really questionable history.

This is one of the few cases where it could be argued to bring in the death penalty as no chance of mistaken identity in this and the killings were so horrific in the victims own home.

He isn't avoiding life inside here.

 

[Kittypoo]

Several media outlets running live blogs ..


19 minutes ago

Kyle Clifford has refused to come to court for his sentencing​

Mr Justice Bennathan enters and tells the court Clifford has refused to leave his cell at HMP Belmarsh for the sentencing hearing.
The prison asked if he should be put in restraints and brought to a videolink room, but the judge said no.
“The idea of a man in a wheelchair being put in restraints and potentially disrupting proceedings in the videolink room is simply not appropriate”, said the judge.
He points out some of the court hearing will involve tributes to the victims, and he is not prepared for Clifford to have the chance to disrupt that.
“If he lacks the courage to face today, so be it.”

Crossbow killer Kyle Clifford jailed for whole life for triple murder

Kyle Clifford was handed a whole life sentence for the murders of Carol, Hannah, and Louise Hunt

www.standard.co.uk

Omg he deliberately injured himself and put himself in the wheelchair. Give me strength!

 

[Sweeper2000]

I literally could not care less that he is now a rasping wheelchair user. the family is what it is about. he should have the courtroom precedings into his room though 100%

 

[Sarahlou]

Several media outlets running live blogs ..


19 minutes ago

Kyle Clifford has refused to come to court for his sentencing​

Mr Justice Bennathan enters and tells the court Clifford has refused to leave his cell at HMP Belmarsh for the sentencing hearing.
The prison asked if he should be put in restraints and brought to a videolink room, but the judge said no.
“The idea of a man in a wheelchair being put in restraints and potentially disrupting proceedings in the videolink room is simply not appropriate”, said the judge.
He points out some of the court hearing will involve tributes to the victims, and he is not prepared for Clifford to have the chance to disrupt that.
“If he lacks the courage to face today, so be it.”

Crossbow killer Kyle Clifford jailed for whole life for triple murder

Kyle Clifford was handed a whole life sentence for the murders of Carol, Hannah, and Louise Hunt

www.standard.co.uk

Oh give over!! I hate how weak our system is.

 

[Sweeper2000]

posting this with pride.

Crossbow killer Kyle Clifford jailed for whole life for triple murder

Kyle Clifford was handed a whole life sentence for the murders of Carol, Hannah, and Louise Hunt

www.standard.co.uk

Crossbow killer Kyle Clifford is due to be sentenced on Tuesday for the murders of his ex-partner, her sister and their mother.
The 26-year-old previously pleaded guilty to murdering his former girlfriend Louise Hunt, her mother Carol Hunt and her sister Hannah Hunt, at their home in Bushey, Hertfordshire, on July 9, 2024.
Clifford was later convicted of raping Louise in a “violent, sexual act of spite”.
Prosecutors previously said Clifford became “enraged” when 25-year-old Louise ended their 18-month relationship - leading him to “carefully” plan the murders.
Clifford gained access to the family home by deceiving 61-year-old Carol Hunt, the wife of BBC racing commentator John Hunt, before stabbing her to death in a “brutal knife attack”.
After killing Mrs Hunt, the defendant then “lay in wait” for an hour for Louise to enter the house, before restraining, raping and ultimately murdering her with a crossbow.

Kyle Clifford is due to be sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on Tuesday (Hertfordshire Constabulary/PA)

Follow the latest updates below...

 

[Sweeper2000]

8 minutes ago

Clifford executed a 'careful and coherent' rape and murder plot​

Carol Hunt was stabbed repeatedly by Clifford when he had gained access to the home, the court heard.
Ms Morgan, the prosecutor, is outlining the “brutality” of the attack.
She said Clifford used a knife hidden in a backpack to attack Mrs Hunt, knowing that carrying a crossbow for the first stage of the attack would have immediately caused alarm.
After the first murder, he went back to his car to retrieve the crossbow.
Clifford then lay in wait for Louise Hunt for around an hour, until she came into the home from the pod in the garden where she usually worked.
“He didn’t choose to run straight through the house to attack Louise Hunt at that point”, she said.
“Every part of what he was doing was part of a careful and coherent plan. He intended to wait and then to be able to restrain and rape Louise Hunt before her death.”
Ms Morgan said Clifford would not have known when Hannah Hunt was due to return home, but he must have been prepared to kill her as part of his plan.
She was shot with a crossbow after returning home from work as a beautician, when she arrived to change out of her uniform to head to a social engagement.

Crossbow killer Kyle Clifford jailed for whole life for triple murder

Kyle Clifford was handed a whole life sentence for the murders of Carol, Hannah, and Louise Hunt

www.standard.co.uk

 

[Sweeper2000]

'This was a planned attack on the Hunt family'​

Ms Morgan is detailing to the court the extensive planning that Clifford carried out before the attacks.
She has highlighted how he bought items in advance, including duct tape used to tie up Louise Hunt, knives, and petrol cans.
The prosecutor suggested the court could draw an inference that Clifford, by having petrol and placing blankets around some of the victims’ bodies, had contemplated setting fire to the home to destroy evidence.
Clifford accessed Carol Hunt’s Facebook page before the attacks, as well as John Hunt’s Twitter page.
“This is a planned attack on the Hunt family generally, whoever is present at the address”, said Ms Morgan, “in the sure knowledge Carol Hunt would be there.”
The court heard a ‘thank you’ card had been created and Clifford had a bag of Louise’s possessions, in a suspected “ruse” to get into the property after a short conversation on the doorstep.
The judge said he accepts Clifford knew Carol would be home and therefore would be a victim of the attack alongside her daughter Louise. The killer had also carried out research to check that John hunt would be at work instead of at home.

Crossbow killer Kyle Clifford jailed for whole life for triple murder

Kyle Clifford was handed a whole life sentence for the murders of Carol, Hannah, and Louise Hunt

www.standard.co.uk

 

[Sweeper2000]

27 minutes ago

Clifford watched videos of Andrew Tate, the 'poster boy for misogyny'​

One of Louise Hunt’s friends saw Clifford watching a video of Andrew Tate involving animals who had been drugged.
Questioned on the video, Clifford said he found it “funny”.
Ms Morgan told the court: “Andrew Tate is the poster boy for misogyny, the poster boy for those who view women as possessions to be controlled.”
It has already been revealed that Clifford searched for Andrew Tate content in the 24 hours before he carried out the rape and killings, and the link is “relevant” for the sentencing.
The court has also heard of conversations Clifford had with his jailed brother, in which he talked about buying a crossbow, but not his intentions for using it.

Crossbow killer Kyle Clifford jailed for whole life for triple murder

Kyle Clifford was handed a whole life sentence for the murders of Carol, Hannah, and Louise Hunt

www.standard.co.uk

 

[Sweeper2000]

Clifford called murderer brother a 'geezer'​

Clifford worked at Reynolds Catering Services after leaving the Army, and was noted for “poor behaviour towards other employees and inappropriately sexualised comments”.
The court heard he talked about sex at work, made comments about women including “I can ride on that”, and discussed sex with another woman while in a relationship with Louise Hunt.
He was also described by a witnesses as making “lustful” comments about women he saw at the gym.
Ms Morgan also said Clifford described his brother, Bradley, as a “geezer”.
Bradley Clifford is currently serving a life sentence for murder after deliberately running a man over in a road rage attack.

Crossbow killer Kyle Clifford jailed for whole life for triple murder

Kyle Clifford was handed a whole life sentence for the murders of Carol, Hannah, and Louise Hunt

www.standard.co.uk

 

[Sweeper2000]

Clifford was a lazy soldier who could not follow orders​

Kyle Clifford was a bad soldier who had little prospect of a successful Army career when he was enrolled between 2020 and 2022, the court heard.
His commanding officer assessed that Clifford was lacking in motivation, unable to follow orders, and he had multiple periods off sick.
“He was wholly unsuited to military employment”, said Ms Morgan of the senior officer’s assessment, adding that Clifford had “no care or concern beyond himself”.
The officer said Clifford swallowed up “inordinate” amounts of resources in a bid to get him into shape, but he was “poorly trained, lacking in motivation and unwilling to commit to soldiering”.
The court also heard how Clifford had faced disciplinary proceedings after a drink fuelled altercation in 2021.

Crossbow killer Kyle Clifford jailed for whole life for triple murder

Kyle Clifford was handed a whole life sentence for the murders of Carol, Hannah, and Louise Hunt

www.standard.co.uk