Racing commentator returns to work after witnessing family’s killer being jailed
John Hunt watched Kyle Clifford be handed a whole-life order in his absence at Cambridge Crown Court on Tuesday.
BBC racing commentator John Hunt has returned to the airwaves just three days after he witnessed the killer of his wife and two daughters be jailed for the rest of his life.
Kyle Clifford was handed a whole-life order at Cambridge Crown Court on Tuesday for the crossbow and knife murders of his ex-partner Louise Hunt, her sister Hannah Hunt and their mother Carol Hunt on July 9 last year.
Despite the 26-year-old defendant refusing to attend his sentencing hearing, Mr Hunt delivered a message to the killer in court, telling him hell will “roll the red carpet out for you”.
The court proceedings were not mentioned during his introduction to the programme.
Mr Hunt held back tears throughout his emotional statement to the court on Tuesday, as he told Clifford: “The screams of hell, Kyle. I can hear them faintly now. They’re going to roll the red carpet out for you.”
He described Clifford as a “psychopath”, adding: “The impact of what you have done will be taken to my grave.”
Mr Hunt also vowed to “see what my future is” as he said his daughter Hannah “handed me a second chance” by raising the alarm before her death.
He said; “Whilst I am badly damaged, I am absolutely determined to see what my future, is surrounded by so many amazing people, and the chance to do that, I firmly believe, has been gifted to me by my incredible Hansie (Hannah Hunt).
“I really believe that had she not managed to show such amazing physical and mental strength in raising the alarm after you, Kyle, fatally injured her, that I would have been your fourth victim that day.
“Hannah handed me a second chance, one that she worked so hard to achieve for me.”
Prosecutors said Clifford became “enraged” when Louise ended their 18-month relationship, leading him to “carefully” plan the 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.
