Kyle Clifford leaves a Halfords shop on July 4 (Image: Hertfordshire Police)
Crossbow killer Kyle Clifford was captured on CCTV purchasing rope and petrol cans, just days before killing the family of racing commentator John Hunt. The shocking footage was shown in Cambridge Crown Court during Clifford’s trial, where he is accused of raping his ex-girlfriend Louise Hunt, 25.
The ex-soldier, 26, has admitted to shooting Louise and her sister Hannah, 28, to death with a crossbow, and stabbing their mum Carol, 61, at their home on July 9, 2024.
Alison Morgan KC, prosecuting, told the court today: “It is not in dispute therefore that he murdered three members of the Hunt family – Carol, Louise and Hannah. It is also not in dispute that he was unlawfully in possession of a knife and a crossbow that day.
“He also accepts that he falsely imprisoned Louise Hunt during the course of the incident, restraining her against her will,” Ms Morgan went on: “During the course of this prolonged incident of violence, the prosecution alleges that the defendant raped Louise Hunt. It was a violent, sexual act of spite, before he then killed her. You will have to determine that allegation against him.”
Clifford is on trial accused of raping his ex-girlfriend, before killing her, her sister and her mum (Image: Herts Police/PA)
Louise Hunt was killed by Clifford, along with her mum and sister (Image: Facebook)
Clifford was seen on CCTV in a branch of Tool Station buying a long length of blue rope on June 28 at around noon. A second video shows the soon-to-be-killer in a Halfords store around 2pm on July 4 where he purchased two green petrol cans. After conning mum Carol to enter the house on Ashlyn Close in Bushey, Hertfordshire, he stabbed her to death in a “brutal knife attack”.
The jury heard he then trapped Louise in a pod in the garden, restrained her, raping her, and then shot her in the chest with a crossbow. He then waited for Hannah to return home from work, before firing fatal shots at her. Hannah bravely called 999 to alert the police and was still alive when they arrived, but she later died.
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Clifford buying some blue rope in a branch of Tool Station (Image: Herts Police)
Kyle Clifford in Household Cavalry dress in 2020 third from the left with the red-striped cap (Image: Supplied)
Ms Morgan said the “extreme acts of violence” came after “tearful” Clifford “tried to rekindle the 18-month relationship in various ways, all of which were rebuffed by Louise”.
She told the jury: “This rejection angered the defendant. He was angry at Louise but also at the Hunt family generally, as he correctly assumed that friends and family members had advised Louise to end the relationship with him.”
The prosecutor continued: “The attack was carefully planned and executed, involving the deceit of Louise’s mother Carol Hunt, in order to gain access to the family home, followed by a brutal knife attack upon Carol Hunt.
“The defendant then waited for Louise to enter the property, before restraining, raping and ultimately murdering her with a crossbow.
“He then killed Louise’s sister Hannah Hunt with the crossbow, when she returned to the property after work.”
Defending Clifford, Phil Bradley told the court that the defendant had admitted to the murders of Carol, Louise, and Hannah on July 9 last year.
He added that his client had also admitted to the false imprisonment of Louise as well as to possession of offensive weapons, a knife and a crossbow, used in the murders.
Mr Bradley the jury: “Cool heads are obviously required just to assimilate that sort of information.”
He also told jurors that Clifford denies the rape of Louise. The trial continues.