Kyle Clifford sentencing latest: Crossbow killer who murdered BBC commentator John Hunt's family and raped ex-girlfriend gets whole-life order
Crossbow killer Kyle Clifford has been given a whole-life order for murdering the wife and two daughters of BBC commentator John Hunt. For raping his ex-girlfriend Louise Hunt during the attack, he was also given a 20-year sentence.
Kyle Clifford, 26, was given a whole-life order today for the murder of Carol Hunt, Hannah Hunt and his ex-partner Louise Hunt.
He also raped Louise, a charge he had denied at trial.
The former soldier - who, the court heard, had a wholly underwhelming military career - refused to attend today.
That meant his victims' family - BBC racing commentator John Hunt and his daughter Amy - addressed him in their statements in his absence.
In powerful remarks, both told Clifford he will have to live with his crimes for an eternity, while they will continue to lead the lives their family would have wished for them.
The judge, Mr Justice Joel Bennathan, agreed, condemning Clifford to prison for the rest of his life.
"You'll never be released," he said.
Scroll down for all of today's developments, or catch up with this brief recap:
- The court heard Clifford's brother, who is spending life in prison, told him "you can't just order a crossbow bruv" when he told him of his plan to buy the weapon;
- Carol Hunt, the mother of Hannah and Louise, tried to defend herself when Clifford attacked him with a knife;
- John Hunt, her husband, said he would have been Clifford's fourth victim were it not for his daughter Hannah raising the alarm;
- He also told Clifford a "red carpet" awaits him in hell;
- Amy Hunt, the surviving sister, said her family is "human" - but Clifford "plainly" is not;
- Downing Street branded Clifford a "coward" for not appearing at court to face his victims;
- And in his absence, the judge said the Hunt family showed a "gentle heroism" Clifford can only dream of, as he put him behind bars for the rest of his days.
Clifford joins dozens of notorious prisoners who won't be released
Kyle Clifford will never be free again.
That's because he's been sentenced to a whole-life order, which means he can't be released except in exceptional compassionate circumstances.
Judges reserve this penalty for only the most serious crimes - mostly murder - taking into account:
- the level of planning
- vulnerability of victims
- scale of killing
- He joins dozens of others in the UK sharing a similar fate.
Lucy Letby
Perhaps the most notorious case of recent years resulting in a whole-life order - Lucy Letby was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others.
While there are calls to review her conviction, as it stands she has no prospect of walking free again.
Wayne Couzens
Couzens abused his position as a Metropolitan Police officer to falsely arrest 33-year-old Sarah Everard in March 2021.
Despite being off duty at the time, he put her in his car and drove her to Kent where he raped and strangled her.
It was a murder that sparked outrage across the country and ultimately put Couzens behind bars for the rest of his life.
Levi Bellfield
Bellfield abducted and killed schoolgirl Milly Dowler, 13, on her way home from school in Surrey in 2002.
He also killed 19-year-old Marsha Louise McDonnell and 22-year-old Amelie Delagrange - murders he was convicted for in 2008.
In prison, he confessed to Milly's killing.
Rose West
West carried out 10 murders between 1973 and 1987.
She was convicted in 1995 and is still an inmate at HMP New Hall in West Yorkshire.
And one who doesn't have a whole-life order...
Axel Rudakubana, who killed three young girls last summer in Southport, was sentenced to 52 years in prison - but not a whole-life order.
That's because he carried out the crimes nine days short of his 18th birthday, meaning by law he cannot be sentenced to a whole-life order.
That can only be imposed on criminals aged 21 or over and is considered in exceptional circumstances for those aged 18 to 20.
Moment judge tells Clifford he'll never be released from prison
The judge said he has "no doubt" he must impose a whole life order - a sentence "from which you'll never be released", he told Kyle Clifford.
Here's the moment Mr Justice Bannathan revealed the extent of the killer's punishment and his reasons for it.
Analysis: Clifford's sentence was inevitable - he 'ticked all the boxes' for whole-life order
The sentence imposed on Kyle Clifford was "inevitable", our crime correspondent Martin Brunt says from outside Cambridge Crown Court.
"He rather ticked all the boxes that make killers qualified for whole-life sentences and the judge spent a few minutes explaining that," he says.
Brunt explains the multiple murders, the use of extreme violence and the mental torture the victims were put through before they were killed were all factors.
"All of that outweighed any mitigation that the judge might have given Clifford," Brunt added.
"Of course, Clifford wasn't there, he refused to attend his trial last week and refused to come and listen to the sentencing and to those very dramatic impact statements from members of the Hunt family."
Punishment 'fitting for appalling crime', says police chief
Kyle Clifford's sentence is "fitting for the appalling nature of his crimes", says detective chief inspector Nick Gardner.
"Clifford showed once again he is a coward," he adds, speaking outside court.
He criticises Clifford for refusing to attend court, and says he denied rape despite "overwhelming evidence".
"Clifford has many years ahead of him to consider the consequences of crimes," he says.
Clifford tried to 'escape gravity' of 'inhumane crimes'
Lisa Kiff, from the Crown Prosecution Service, has released a statement after the sentencing.
Kyle Clifford "has attempted to escape the gravity of his actions" at every turn, she says.
"From seeking to evade arrest, to not attending his trial or the sentencing hearing today - his lack of remorse and accountability for the truly inhumane crimes he committed has been laid bare," she says.
She says the decision to try him for rape despite his guilty pleas has been "vindicated" by his conviction.
"I want to express my heartfelt sympathies and admiration to the Hunt family," she says.
"They had the strength and courage to attend court every day and hear first-hand the devastating truth of what happened to Carol, Louise and Hannah - something which, in stark contrast, Clifford was too cowardly to do.
"We hope today's sentence, which ensures Clifford can never hurt anyone again, can help the Hunt family with their healing process as they navigate the future and continue to honour the lives of Carol, Louise and Hannah."
John Hunt hugs daughter after sentencing
Some jurors nod at John Hunt as they walk past him on their way out of court.
He embraces his surviving daughter Amy and other friends and family members at Cambridge Crown Court.
Summing up his remarks, Mr Justice Joel Bannathan paid tribute to their dignity through the trial.
"I pay tribute to the astonishing dignity and courage with which Carol, Louise and Hannah's family conducted themselves throughout these proceedings," he said.
'No doubt' judge must impose this sentence
Wrapping up his remarks, the judge says he is left in "no doubt this is a sentence I must impose".
Addressing Kyle Clifford's career in the military, Mr Justice Bennathan says it could be "significant mitigation" in "many cases".
"Not so in your case," he tells Clifford, who isn't in court today.
He says Clifford spent 286 days at home claiming to be ill during his time as a soldier, and his "utility" to the armed forces could be summed up by a parting comment from his commanding officer.
That office said Clifford's character is "wholly unsuited" to military employment and that he has no "care or concern beyond himself".
He's ended his remarks now, leaving Clifford to begin the rest of his life in prison.
Judge imposes 20-year sentence for rape
As we've already reported, Kyle Clifford will serve a whole-life term for the murders of Carol, Louise and Hannah Hunt.
He is also sentenced to a concurrent 20-year sentence for raping his ex-girlfriend Louise.
He gest one year for possession of crossbow, one year for possession of a knife and eight years for false imprisonment.
The judge says he is satisfied "Clifford planned and contemplated killing all three" of his victims.
Clifford could 'only dream' of Hunt family's 'heroism'
Praising the statements made by John and Amy Hunt in court this morning, the judge says Kyle Clifford could "only dream" of their "heroism".
Mr Justice Bennathan said: "The statements of John and Amy Hunt also demonstrated great courage and determination that your terrible crimes will not define them or stop them leading the lives Carol, Louise and Hannah Hunt would have wished for them.
"They showed a gentle heroism of which you can only dream."
Judge says killer will never be released
The judge Mr Justice Bennathan is delivering his sentencing remarks and immediately says for each of the three murders Kyle Clifford will receive a whole-life order.
He says he went to the home of his ex-girlfiend and "launched a murderous attack" on her and her family.
Her mother Carol had shown "nothing but kindness in the moment before" he attacked her.
The judge says he raped and killed Louise after she was "gentle as she could" ending the relationship before killing her sister Hannah.
He calls Clifford a "jealous man soaked in self-pity, a man who holds women in utter contempt".
He adds: "This is no occasion to subject family and friends of your victims to any delay or suspense.
"I therefore make clear at once that for each of these three murders, the sentence will be one of life imprisonment with a whole-life order.
"That means a sentence from which you will never be released."
Judge back in court for sentencing
We should be hearing the judge's sentencing remarks very shortly - watch live from Cambridge Crown Court in the stream above.
Seven jurors have come back to watch the sentencing, having been there during the trial.
Mr Justice Bennathan will first articulate his thoughts on the case before revealing what Kyle Clifford's punishment will be.
He faces life behind bars.
Downing Street blasts 'cowardly' Clifford
The prime minister has now had his say on Kyle Clifford's no-show today.
As we just reported in the post below, new legislation is in the works to compel killers to face their victims.
Here's what his spokesman said:
Cowardly killers like this individual, who refuse to look grieving families in the eye as judges hand down their sentences, deny victims and their families the opportunity to tell them the horrific ways that they've destroyed lives.
That's why the government is committed to changing the law so that courts have the power to order the most serious offenders to attend their sentencing hearings, with reasonable force being used when necessary, and criminals who refuse will face being locked up for longer, ensuring that they face up to justice rather than hiding away from the grief and anger of their victims' families.
Clifford is the latest killer refusing to face victims - what can the law do about that?
More than a dozen journalists at court now are sitting in the dock, where killer Kyle Clifford should be hearing his fate.
Instead, the ex-soldier is at Belmarsh Prison, having refused to appear even via video link.
The judge, Mr Justice Bennathan, said he was given the option of having Clifford restrained and brought to the video room.
"I have declined on the basis that the idea of a man in a wheelchair being put in restraints and potentially disrupting these proceedings… is simply not appropriate or suitable," he told the court.
"If the defendant lacks the courage to face today, so be it - but I'm conscious part of this morning will be people paying tribute to the three women who died, and I'm not having that disrupted by anything."
It meant John Hunt and Amy Hunt - who had written their victim impact statements addressing Clifford directly - read out their remarks without the killer there.
Killers avoiding court
And it made Clifford the latest in a string of killers refusing to face their victims' families in court.
In January, Southport killer Axel Rudakubana was removed from his own sentencing twice for repeatedly shouting, in what the judge said was a bid to avoid facing the victims of his crime.
Thomas Cashman, who killed Olivia Pratt-Korbel as he chased a drug dealer in Liverpool, did not appear in court to hear his life sentence in April 2023.
And Jordan McSweeney, who killed 35-year-old law graduate Zara Aleena as she walked home from a night out in east London in 2022, also failed to appear to hear his life sentence handed down.
What can the law do about it?
It's been promised for some time now, but judges could soon get powers to force criminals to appear in the dock when they are sentenced.
The change is expected to be made in the Victims, Courts and Public Protection Bill, which should be laid in Parliament over the coming months.
Sir Keir Starmer promised to carry on the pledge, which was first made by his predecessor Rishi Sunak, when he met Olivia's mother in January.
Cheryl Korbel and her family have campaigned to change the law so offenders are compelled to appear for sentencing in the dock.
The prime minister told Korbel: "We have put this in the first King's Speech so we will legislate on this at the first chance and we should have it before the summer."
While the details are not yet available, the previous government planned to create a new power for judges to order an offender to attend their hearing and make clear that custody officers could use "reasonable force".
Judges would also have discretion not to order offenders to attend if they were expected to cause disruption that would distress victims and their families - as was the case today.
John Hunt's message to killer Kyle Clifford
Kyle Clifford's misery will "last for eternity", John Hunt told the court this morning in his absence.
We heard from the BBC racing commentator at length for the first time since the former soldier killed his wife and two daughters last July.
Clifford was described as a "psychopath", who disgusted ex-partner Louise Hunt with his "racism" and "belittling language".
"You killed three beautiful mockingbirds, Kyle," he said.
"I stand strong before you now as you are consigned to a fate worse than death."
-SKY NEWS
