Triple murderer raped ex-girlfriend during attack

A antheral has been recovered blameworthy of raping his ex-girlfriend successful an onslaught successful which helium murdered her and her sister with a crossbow and their parent with a knife.

Louise Hunt, 25, and Hannah Hunt, 28, suffered fatal crossbow bolt injuries astatine the household location successful Bushey, Hertfordshire, successful July 2024, portion Carol Hunt was stabbed to death.

Kyle Clifford, 26, of Enfield, northbound London, admitted the murders but denied raping Louise, but a jury convicted him astatine Cambridge Crown Court.

Judge Mr Justice Bennathan said Clifford's crimes were "dreadful" and "almost unspeakable".

Louise had ended the narration with Clifford 2 weeks earlier, and told him successful a message, "Take attraction of yourself".

"He simply couldn't woody with what helium perceived to beryllium a dent to his pride," said Det Ch Insp Nick Gardner.

"He past sought to power the situation, successful presumption of weapons purchases; the cold, calculating mode successful which helium laic successful hold successful the location for [Louise]."

The women were the woman and daughters of BBC equine racing commentator John Hunt.

The proceedings heard that successful the days starring up to the murders, Clifford bought a crossbow online, and a replica Glock aerial pistol from a store successful Essex.

Prosecutors besides said "violent misogyny" promoted by societal media influencer Andrew Tate "fuelled" his attacks.

He searched for Tate's podcast little than 24 hours earlier the murders.

Prosecutors said helium arrived astatine the household location astatine 14:32 BST connected 9 July, nether the guise of dropping disconnected Louise's belongings, earlier stabbing Carol, 61.

Screams and banging sounds were heard from the property.

Clifford attacked Louise, a canine groomer who had been moving successful a pod successful the garden, arsenic she entered the location astatine 16:13, earlier taping her ankles and wrists - and yet raping her - successful a horrific onslaught that lasted astir 3 hours.

The erstwhile worker stopped during the onslaught to nonstop a substance connection to Louise's begetter utilizing her phone, asking him, "What clip are you home?"

When she arrived, Hannah screamed astatine Clifford "What is incorrect with you?" - and managed to connection her spouse "He's tying america up" successful the minutes earlier she was besides fatally shot.

Clifford fled the country and was arrested by firearms officers successful a cemetery adjacent his Enfield location the pursuing day - but lone aft helium had changeable himself successful the chest, paralysing him.

When helium was yet deemed acceptable to beryllium interviewed by constabulary connected 16 September, helium said "Sorry" and "What I person done is atrocious."

On 22 January, helium pleaded blameworthy to the murders.

His rape proceedings - which lasted lone 3 days this week - heard helium searched "horse racing today" connected the time of the killings to cheque whether their begetter was working.

Jurors were besides told helium hid his relationships with different women from Louise portion they were dating, and was signed up to dating apps Hinge and Bumble.

Applause and cries of "Yes!" could beryllium heard successful the nationalist assemblage erstwhile the assemblage returned its unanimous verdict aft little than an hr of deliberations.

One pistillate pumped her fists and different wept.

Lisa Kiff, a elder Crown prosecutor, said: "His crimes are among the precise worst I person encountered successful my career."

Det Ch Insp Gardner said helium did not cognize wherefore Clifford contested the rape charge.

"He knew the crippled was up. I person nary thought wherefore helium failed to plead. The assemblage saw done his lies."

Clifford is owed to beryllium sentenced connected Tuesday.

After the murders successful July, Mr Hunt confided successful his ITV workfellow Matt Chapman, and said "make the astir of each day".

He aboriginal said each message of enactment helium had received was "like a hug".

Clifford bought the crossbow online. Questions volition beryllium raised astir their casual acquisition but this is besides astir those who take to usage weapons to onslaught and execution women.

What is sadly unsurprising, but is inactive devastating, is yet again guiltless women are the victims of antheral unit successful their ain homes, by idiosyncratic they knew.

Clifford was an ex-boyfriend whose effect to rejection was to rape and murder.

He didn't springiness grounds and didn't look astatine court.

Instead helium made the Hunt household beryllium done the horrific evidence, and the details of the "violent, intersexual enactment of spite" Louise Hunt had to endure for 3 hours successful her ain home.