Kyle Clifford faces a complete life sentence after being convicted of raping his ex-girlfriend throughout an hours-long assault wherein he murdered her and her sister with a crossbow and her mum with a butcher’s knife.
The previous soldier, 26, was fuelled by the ‘violent misogyny promoted’ by controversial social media influencer Andrew Tate when he plotted the ‘horrible’ assault on Louise Hunt, 25, and her household days after she ended their 18-month relationship final summer season.
He turned up on the household residence in Bushey, Hertfordshire, on July 9 and deceived Louise’s mum Carol Hunt, 61, into permitting him inside, the place he killed her in a ‘brutal’ assault.
Clifford then calmly went to fetch a crossbow from his automobile and lay in watch for round an hour for Louise to come back again inside from the backyard pod the place she ran a canine grooming enterprise.
When she stepped into the home, Clifford sure her with duct tape, gagged her and held her hostage for two-and-a-half hours.
Throughout that point, he raped her in what prosecutors referred to as a ‘violent, sexual act of spite’ after turning into ‘enraged by her rejection of him’.
Louise was ultimately shot useless with the crossbow, which Clifford additionally used to homicide her sister Hannah, 28, when she arrived residence from work, Cambridge Crown Courtroom has heard.
Chief Superintendent Jon Simpson stated: ‘The size of Kyle Clifford’s crimes is unprecedented when it comes to male violence in opposition to girls and women and is completely surprising.’
Clifford, who’s now paralysed from the neck down after turning the crossbow on himself as police drew close to, at the moment in courtroom denied the cost of rape however was discovered responsible.
He had already admitted three counts of homicide, one among false imprisonment in opposition to Louise Hunt, and two counts of possession of offensive weapons in relation to the crossbow and knife.
This Is Not Proper
On November 25, 2024 Metro launched This Is Not Proper, a year-long marketing campaign to handle the relentless epidemic of violence in opposition to girls.
All year long we can be bringing you tales that shine a lightweight on the sheer scale of the epidemic.
With the assistance of our companions at Ladies's Assist, This Is Not Proper goals to interact and empower our readers on the difficulty of violence in opposition to girls.
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Learn extra:
- Introducing This Is Not Proper: Metro's year-long violence in opposition to girls marketing campaign
- Yvette Cooper's message to abusers and rapists: The streets don't belong to you
- Remembering the ladies killed by males in 2024
- Tales about violence in opposition to girls don't make an affect – this is the reason
- Males – we want your assist to finish violence in opposition to girls
- What to do if your beloved is in danger from home abuse
Cheers could possibly be heard from the general public gallery as the decision was returned.
Applause could possibly be heard and cries of ‘sure!’, with one lady pumping her fists and one other lady weeping as the decision was introduced.
The choose, Mr Justice Bennathan, stated Clifford’s crimes have been ‘dreadful’ and have been ‘virtually unspeakable’.
Murders ‘fuelled’ by Andrew Tate’s ‘violent misogyny’, courtroom instructed
Prosecutors stated the ‘violent misogyny promoted’ by controversial social media influencer Andrew Tate ‘fuelled’ Clifford’s assaults.
Clifford looked for Tate’s podcast lower than 24 hours earlier than the murders.
In the course of the trial, it emerged he hid the very fact he had relationships with different girls throughout his time with Louise and was signed as much as on-line courting websites Hinge and Bumble.
Linking Tate’s podcast and the murders, prosecutor Alison Morgan KC stated: ‘It’s misogynistic, making an attempt to regulate Louise Hunt within the context of a closing act of spite. You’ll be able to see how the thoughts was working.’
Jurors didn’t hear the proof of Clifford’s searches about Tate after Mr Justice Bennathan dominated it was ‘deeply prejudicial’ to his trial as a result of the influencer was ‘virtually a poster boy for misogynists’.
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Ms Morgan had argued the fabric Clifford was looking out confirmed ‘how he views girls and why sexualised violence is a vital a part of the assault’.
She instructed the courtroom: ‘On any smart view, again in 2024 and now, he was a extensively identified misogynist.
‘That’s what he was looking out lower than 24 hours earlier than he was making an attempt to get into the Hunt household residence.
‘He was trying to find an Andrew Tate podcast.
‘It’s misogynistic, making an attempt to regulate Louise Hunt within the context of a closing act of spite. You’ll be able to see how the thoughts was working.
‘It’s how he views girls and why sexualised violence is a vital a part of the assault.
‘Relationships are a part of the story, but it surely actually does come to a head by way of that search as somebody who sees the world by way of that viewpoint.’
‘If he couldn’t have her, nobody else was going to’
In her closing speech at the moment, Ms Morgan instructed jurors: ‘If he couldn’t have [Louise], nobody else was going to, and he was going to take her household down along with her.’
The trial heard Louise’s family and friends ‘hoped that the connection would come to an finish’ after they grew to become involved about the best way Clifford handled her.
Louise instructed pals he had a ‘nasty mood’ and behaved in an ‘aggressive method’, along with her sister Hannah deeming him to be ‘disrespectful, impolite and boastful’.
Clifford had additionally been in relationships with different girls whereas he was courting Louise ‘which he hid’ from her, it was stated.
The ‘catalyst’ for his or her eventual break-up was Clifford’s ‘impolite behaviour’ at a marriage on June 23.
He implied he had ‘slept with plenty of individuals on the wedding ceremony, which upset Louise’ and made a number of ‘patronising feedback’ to her, together with about her means to make use of an oven.
Louise messaged Clifford on June 23, the day they bought again from the marriage, saying ‘we undoubtedly have to have a dialog’, the courtroom heard.
In his replies, Clifford was stated to have instructed her he wasn’t going to ‘take s***’ from her, including: ‘I’ll be damned if I ever beg somebody to like me for who I’m.’
Ms Morgan instructed the courtroom that of their message exchanges, Louise instructed Clifford she was all the time ‘upset’, that the connection was ‘sucking the life out of me’, and he or she had ‘cried far too many instances’.
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Louise agreed to satisfy Clifford the next day, the courtroom heard, and the 2 went for a stroll collectively whereas Hannah waited close by.
Hannah later messaged her boyfriend, saying: ‘Yeah she’s okay. He’s obvs turned on the water works and has now made her “confused”. She’s taking a couple of days to consider it.’
On June 26, Louise despatched Clifford a message saying: ‘I simply really feel proper now I owe it to myself to take some house and stroll away for my very own sanity and well being.’
She ended it saying: ‘Thanks for the unbelievable time we’ve had this yr, I hope you understand how a lot I really like you and nonetheless will for a very long time.
‘I by no means need there to be something nasty between us ever. Handle your self all the time please.’
Clifford started planning murders days after break-up
Ms Morgan stated Clifford appeared to simply accept this place, and stated in his reply: ‘Thanks for the readability Louise so we will each begin our therapeutic course of.
‘I really like you a lot and can do for a very long time.’
However that place modified inside a matter of days, with Clifford spending £350 ordering a crossbow, six bolts and a cocking machine on-line.
He additionally ordered an air gun, which by no means arrived, together with duct tape, a ‘excessive degree butchering knife’ for £89, and a size of rope, jurors have been instructed.
Ms Morgan stated that within the days main as much as the assaults, Clifford had looked for learn how to buy a crossbow and had accessed pornography, together with for a video of former HMP Wandsworth jail officer Linda De Sousa Abreu, who admitted having intercourse with a prisoner final yr.
The prosecutor stated the defendant’s violent intentions have been proven ‘by way of the usage of weapons and his sexual preoccupations’.
Summarising Clifford’s motive for the assault, Ms Morgan stated: ‘Louise instigated the top of the connection, supported by her family and friends.
‘Within the days that adopted, the message prompted the defendant to attempt to rekindle the connection in numerous methods, all of which have been rebuffed by Louise Hunt.
‘This rejection angered the defendant.
‘He was offended at Louise, but in addition on the Hunt household typically, as he appropriately assumed that family and friends members had suggested Louise to finish the connection with him.’
The prosecutor continued: ‘The assault was fastidiously deliberate and executed, involving the deceit of Louise’s mom Carol Hunt, so as to achieve entry to the household residence, adopted by a brutal knife assault upon Carol Hunt.
‘The defendant then waited for Louise to enter the property, earlier than restraining, raping and in the end murdering her with a crossbow.
‘He then killed Louise’s sister Hannah Hunt with the crossbow, when she returned to the property after work.’
Scale of Clifford’s crimes is ‘unprecedented’
Detectives stated Clifford was decided to kill Louise ‘and anybody else he wanted to’ after she broke up with him.
Regardless of the scary escalation in Clifford’s behaviour, this was no ‘crime of ardour’.
‘Clifford carried out this killing of three harmless girls with cold-blooded calculation and cruelty,’ Detective Chief Inspector Nick Gardner stated.
‘To be clear, there was no wrong-doing by Louise – she merely exercised her proper to finish her relationship with Clifford as she was not completely happy in it. Nothing extra.
‘Within the subsequent days, Clifford plotted a meticulously deliberate assault on Louise and members of her household.
‘We consider Clifford supposed to kill Louise and anybody else he wanted to to realize that intention.’
Clifford has not provided his personal rationalization for the appalling assault on July 9.
However notes discovered on his cellphone have given police an perception into his mindset on the time.
‘He clearly knew there have been wholesome methods of coping with the breakup,’ DCI Gardner stated.
‘Nevertheless, he selected to not take these paths. He merely “didn’t need to” try this.’
DCI Gardner added: ‘Policing has carried out to sort out male violence in opposition to girls and women lately, nonetheless Clifford’s actions have been actually unprecedented, at the least right here in Hertfordshire.
‘I wish to pay tribute to the victims’ household who’ve proven unbelievable bravery all through this horrendous interval and proceed to take action.
‘We can not start to know the extreme grief and ache that has been introduced upon them because of what occurred.’
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