BBC’s John Hunt returns to radio for first time to shame gutless crossbow killer who murdered his wife and daughters
BBC racing commentator John Hunt has returned to the airwaves for first the time since the gutless crossbow killer who murdered his wife and daughters was caged.
Kyle Clifford was handed a whole-life order for the murders of Louise, 25, Hannah, 28, and their mother Carol, 61, the false imprisonment and rape of Louise, and possession of a crossbow and knife.
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”.
On Friday, Mr Hunt returned to work with a stint on BBC Radio 5 Live covering the Cheltenham Festival.
Presenter Mark Chapman introduced Mr Hunt to listeners at 1pm.
He said: “John is in his usual commentary position yet again.”
Mr Hunt replied with: “I am thinking about the individuals who illuminate this sport.
“Nothing else matters Mark. Galopin des Champs is the Antoine Dupont of horse racing.
“He has looked magnificent. His form is rock solid.”
Mr Chapman reminded listeners that this is the 30th Festival that Mr Hunt has covered.
The first ever Gold Cup he commentated on was won by the great Best Mate.
Mr Hunt said: “It really does take me back. Everything about Best Mate was geared to Cheltenham. Galopin is even better than Best Mate.
“The weight of history can prove too heavy a toll and strange things can happen – he’s still got 22 fences ahead – but if he’s cherry ripe he will bring this home.”
Mr Chapman added: “And John will call them home as only John can.”
Mr Hunt held back tears throughout his emotional statement in Clifford’s absence to the court on Tuesday.
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 the killer as “callous, cowardly and vindictive” and said he had intended to direct his statement at the defendant “eye to eye” before he was handed a whole-life order.
Mr Hunt 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.”
He continued: “I am so proud of all my girls.
“Unlike you, Kyle, at every step of their lives, they made the correct choices to improve themselves as people.
“Louise, she enjoyed more success and fulfilment in one morning than you achieved in your entire miserable life.”
At Cambridge Crown Court, the judge said of Clifford: “The evidence I have heard shows you to be a jealous man soaked in self-pity, a man who holds women in utter contempt.
How the triple killing unfolded
– June 26 2024
Louise Hunt ends her relationship with Clifford, telling him in a message: “I feel like it’s been broken and I can’t ignore how I’ve been feeling or made to feel in our relationship over the course of the year.”
– June 30
Clifford makes internet searches in relation to crossbows and visits websites where they could be purchased.
The defendant then goes on to access pornography.
– July 1
Clifford accesses the Facebook page of Carol Hunt.
The defendant also has a conversation with his brother about buying a crossbow and conducts searches for air rifles.
– July 3
Clifford purchases a Hori-Zone Kornet MXT-405 compound crossbow, a pack of six crossbow bolts and a rope-cocking device through Tactical Archery.
The defendant also buys a £219 CO2 Glock air pistol from The Air Gun Centre in Essex. It was not delivered before the murders and was recalled by the company when it heard about the attacks.
– July 4
Clifford buys two petrol cans from Halfords and two rolls of duct tape from B&Q.
The defendant searches how to uncock a crossbow and fired a crossbow bolt into a tree.
Louise Hunt makes a note on her phone titled “When you’re sad, look”, which set out how Clifford was “racist”, had “commented he did not like transgender people” and had used “belittling language”.
– July 5
Clifford conducts research about sourcing knives.
– July 6
Clifford receives an update on his purchase of a high-level 10in butchering steel knife worth £89. Packaging for the knife was found at his home address but the knife was never found by police.
– July 9
1.07pm: Clifford leaves his home address armed with a knife and a crossbow.
1.48pm: Clifford searches “horse racing today” on the internet to see if Louise Hunt’s father, BBC commentator John Hunt, was working that day.
2.32pm: Clifford knocks on the door of the Hunt family home with a black rucksack allegedly containing a knife and tells Carol Hunt he wants to return items of property.
2.39pm-2.45pm: Carol Hunt is murdered by Clifford in a “brutal” knife attack, with screams and banging sounds heard coming from the property.
3.10pm: Clifford returns to his car to retrieve the crossbow hidden under a white cloth or blanket.
4.13pm: A faint scream is heard shortly after Louise Hunt enters the family home.
4.13pm-6.50pm: Louise Hunt is restrained with duct tape around her ankles and her wrists and the prosecution allege she is raped by Clifford.
5.37pm-5.43pm: The prosecution allege Clifford checks Louise Hunt’s mobile phone to see who she had been in contact with and what she had been looking at on Instagram.
5.44pm: Clifford tells his sister he was shooting his crossbow at a friend’s house and that it was not “illegal” after she asked why he had taken it out.
5.52pm: Clifford messages John Hunt from Louise Hunt’s phone, asking: “What time are you home?”
5.57pm: Clifford searches “if I unplug my smoke detector will it go off”, with the prosecution saying he had contemplated the use of fire to destroy evidence.
6.50pm: Louise Hunt is murdered with a crossbow shortly before Hannah Hunt arrives at the property.
6.51pm: Hannah Hunt realises Clifford is at the address and shouts “What is wrong with you?”, with high-pitched squealing and screaming heard coming from the property.
6.52pm: Hannah Hunt messages her partner: “Call police leggy. Immediately. To mine. Now. Kyle here. POLCOE (sic) NOW. HE’S TYING US UP.”
6.54pm: Hannah Hunt is shot with a crossbow.
6.55pm: Clifford walks away from the property with the crossbow hidden under the sheet and the black rucksack.
6.57pm: Female heard in the property screaming “Oh my God, no” as Hannah Hunt realises her sister and mother have been attacked.
6.58pm: Hannah Hunt uses Carol Hunt’s phone to dial 999 and identifies Clifford as the attacker to the call handler.
7.10pm: Emergency services attend the Hunt family home – Carol and Louise Hunt are found dead and unsuccessful resuscitation attempts are made on Hannah Hunt.
“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.”
The judge began his remarks by saying: “Kyle Clifford, on July 9 last year, you went to the home of your former girlfriend Louise Hunt and launched a murderous attack on her and her family.
“You first killed her mother Carol, who even on that day showed you nothing but kindness in the moments before you attacked her.
“You raped and killed Louise who had been as gentle as she could in ending her relationship with you, after your arrogance and anger proved too much for her to stand.
“Then you murdered Hannah Hunt, who had done nothing to harm you save supporting her little sister.”
Mr Justice Bennathan described the attacks as “brutal and cowardly”.
He added that Clifford wrote letters to his own family that were “dripping with self-pity”.
The judge also said Clifford’s military service was also little mitigation to him, saying: “You have been referred to at times as a former soldier.
“In many cases that would serve as significant mitigation.
“Not so in your case, however, as your two years in the army included 286 days at home claiming to be ill, you never saw active service, and your utility to the armed forces can be gleaned in a parting comment from your commanding officer that: ‘His character is wholly unsuited to military employment and he has no care nor concern beyond himself.'”
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 previously heard the murders were fuelled by the “violent misogyny promoted” by Andrew Tate, after it emerged that Clifford searched for the controversial social media influencer’s podcast less than 24 hours before the attacks.
Clifford previously pleaded guilty to murdering Louise, Carol and Hannah, and was later convicted of raping Louise in a “violent, sexual act of spite”.