‘Plainly, the Hunt family are human, you are not’, grieving family tell Clifford

A father and daughter whose family were murdered by “psychopath” Kyle Clifford have emotionally told a court the killer had “callously and coldly taken not one, not two, but the three most important people in our lives”.

BBC racing commentator John Hunt and his surviving daughter Amy Hunt both delivered tearful victim impact statements in Clifford’s absence on Tuesday.

Clifford, 26, refused to face the Hunt family in court, as the judge is due to sentence him for the murders of Louise Hunt, 25, Hannah Hunt, 28, and their mother Carol Hunt, 61 .

He declined to order restraints to force him to attend, adding: “If the defendant lacks the courage to face today, so be it.”

Mr Hunt addressed Clifford at Cambridge Crown Court, saying he could faintly hear the “screams of hell” which said “they’re going to roll the red carpet out for you”.

Amy also directed her words at the killer, telling the court: “Kyle, plainly the Hunt family are human and you are not.”

Prosecutors said Clifford’s decision to “turn to Andrew Tate” the night before the murders was “no coincidence”.

A court previously heard the murders were fuelled by the “violent misogyny promoted” by Tate, after it emerged that Clifford searched for the controversial social media influencer’s podcast less than 24 hours before the attacks.

Mr Hunt described the defendant as a “psychopath” during an emotional address to the court.

He said: “When I was first invited to provide a victim impact statement, I initially misunderstood its purpose, do I really need to detail the impact of having three quarters of my family murdered?

“But then I realised that this was my final opportunity to say what I wanted to say, specifically to you, Kyle, words that will also be directed to your family, who will carry guilt forwards with them for the rest of their lives.

“They knew about the weapons, they knew.”

“Do you remember her kindness, Kyle? How she urged you to get some relationship help and guidance for fear that you would never be able to sustain a lasting relationship?

“You calmly accepted that advice on the doorstep and then literally seconds later, savagely stabbed her eight times and ended her life.

“When I challenged myself about how you were able to deceive us all, I simply say that you are a psychopath who, for the duration of your time together with Louise, was able to disguise yourself as an ordinary human being.”

Fighting back tears, Mr Hunt said Louise had left Clifford after saying “enough is enough”.

“I hope women round the world will take Louise’s bravery as a shining beacon for their lives,” he said.

“If you feel enough is enough, then it is.”

Mr Hunt added: “Whatever sentence you’re about to receive, whatever misery lies ahead for you in the next 60 years, remember that after your days on earth are done, on your dying day there will be no release for you Kyle.

“The screams of hell, Kyle. I can hear them faintly now. They’re going to roll the red carpet out for you.”

Amy Hunt called Clifford a “monster” and said that what he did “to my baby sister is nothing short of demonic”.

She broke down and wept part way through her victim impact statement, as she said Clifford’s “monstrous, selfish actions” had devastated the loved ones of Carol, Hannah and Louise.

“You planned to take the lives of three women who have never done anything to hurt you and for what – you got dumped,” she said.

“You violently took my mother and sisters from me, and you violently killed almost all of my mum and dad’s children.

“As a son to a mother, a brother to a sister, I will never understand how you felt and feel nothing about the hideous act – but I suppose that is what separates you from us.

“Kyle, plainly the Hunt family are human and you are not.”

Prosecutors previously said Clifford became “enraged” when Louise ended their 18-month relationship, leading him to “carefully” plan the July 9 murders.

Clifford gained access to the family home by deceiving Carol Hunt, then stabbed her to death in a “brutal knife attack”.

After killing Mrs Hunt, the defendant “lay in wait” for an hour for Louise to enter the house, then restrained, raped and murdered her with a crossbow.

He then fatally shot Hannah Hunt when she returned to the property in the quiet cul-de-sac of Ashlyn Close in Bushey, Hertfordshire, after work.

The court heard Clifford’s supervisor said he was “unhappy with the way that the defendant spoke about women”.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC told the court the defendant had previously been heard making comments such as “I could ride on that”, during the time period when he was in a relationship with Louise.

The court heard another supervisor noted “immaturity” at work and described how he referred to his brother, Bradley Clifford, who is serving a life sentence for murder, as a “geezer”.

The defendant had told his brother while he was in prison “I’ve ordered a crossbow”, in conversations recorded on July 1 and July 8 last year.

Ms Morgan also provided background about Clifford’s time as a soldier, with his former commander being recorded concluding he was “wholly unsuited to military employment and has no care nor concern beyond himself”.

Clifford, of Enfield, north London, will be sentenced for three counts of murder, one of rape, one of false imprisonment and two counts of possession of an offensive weapon.