Cowardly Kyle Clifford’s failure to attend court sentencing would be “final insult”

Triple killer Kyle Clifford should be forced to attend court for his sentencing after being branded a “coward” by police after he refused to attend the trial for the rape of his murdered former partner. The 26-year-old failed soldier will be jailed for life at Cambridge Crown Court on Tuesday for the horrific crossbow slayings of ex-girlfriend Louise Hunt, 25, and her sister Hannah, 28, after stabbing their mother Carol, 61 to death.

Last week Clifford was found guilty of raping Louise during his three-hour siege on the suburban home in Bushey, Hertfordshire. The women were the wife and daughters of racing commentator John Hunt who was away working when Clifford launched his murderous rampage last July. He admitted the three murders but despite overwhelming DNA evidence denied the rape forcing Mr Hunt and his surviving daughter Amy to endure further agony.

But during the four-day trial Clifford refused to leave his cell at HMP Belmarsh to become the latest high-profile case where defendants have refused to appear at court.

He refused to give evidence in his own defence, even rebuffing the offer of a video link to the prison so he could give evidence remotely.

This came after taxpayers were burdened with the cost of the trial being held in a wheelchair accessible courtroom with special arrangements made to accommodate the killer, who has been left paralysed from the waist down after shooting himself with his crossbow after killing his victims.

Further expense was also amassed ensuring that one of only two of the nation’s prison vans capable of ferrying wheelchair-bound prisoners from jail to court was stationed at HMP Belmarsh ready to transport Clifford to Cambridge.

A police source told the Daily Express that if Clifford fails to attend his sentencing it would be “the final insullt” to the Hunt family.

They said: “Throughout the whole process he has refused to show a single ounce of remorse for the devastation he has wreaked and the controlling behaviour he attempted to force on Louise is now continuing for her family.

“He has shown himself to be nothing but a pathetic coward by denying committing rape and forcing the Hunt family to endure a harrowing trial and then refusing to leave his cell to offer any defence. If he has even an ounce of humanity he should be in court to hear his sentence but until the law changes then there is nothing we can do to force him to be there.”

Chris Philp MP, Shadow Home Secretary, said: “This was a horrific crime, and our thoughts are with the victims families at this difficult time.

“Kyle Clifford must attend court and face justice for his despicable actions – to hide away from these consequences would be nothing short of cowardice.

“Before the election, the were pushing for new legislation to ensure that perpetrators were forced to attend court to face their punishments, and give victims the closure they deserved, and this is a change we will continue to push for in opposition.”

Sunday Express columnist and broadcaster Nick Ferrari believes the answer to non-attending criminals is simple.

He said: “After conviction, every criminal must be compelled to be present for sentencing. If they opt to duck out, the following will be initiated. They will be taken to their cell and the sentence term will not start until they agree to appear in court.

“Once they appear in the dock, if they then decide to “kick-off” they will be found in contempt of court, which carries another two years in jail. And each time they shout, swear or protest, a fresh conviction for contempt will be applied.

Detective Chief Inspector Nick Gardner, of the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, branded Clifford’s failure to attend his trial an “absolute act of cowardice”.

Speaking after the verdict he said every reasonable adjustment was being made by the judge.

“The trial was held at Cambridge Crown Court for his specific accessibility needs. The judge made a number of attempts for him to be made available to the court.

“He could have done it via live link, he himself chose not to do any of that.

“He has put the family through the ordeal of the trial, he has created everything that’s happened over this past week and failing to show his face is completely cowardly.”

Kyle Clifford was convicted by a jury of rape in just 45 minutes.

The four-day trial concluded on 6 March, where the court heard how he murdered his former partner and her sister with a crossbow and their mother with a 10-inch butchering knife.

The court had heard how Clifford was “fuelled by misogyny” after viewing hateful online videos and podcasts including those made by toxic influencer Andrew Tate, after Louise ended their 18-month relationship.

He subsequently “carefully planned and executed” the murders and raped Louise in a “violent, sexual act of spite”.

Dt Insp Gardner added Clifford “simply couldn’t deal with what he perceived to be a dent to his pride” after Louise had ended their relationship.

He added that: “sought to control the situation with everything that he did in terms of the weapons purchases, the cold calculated way in which he lay in wait in the house for her and then held her falsely imprisoned for a number of hours”.

The murders, in July 2024, lead to nationwide manhunt with Clifford later found in Lavender Hill Cemetery in Enfield, north London.

Officers discovered Clifford had shot himself in the chest with the same crossbow used to murder Louise and Hannah.

The decision by Clifford to not attend court is the latest in a number of high profile trials whereby criminals have refused to attend part, or the whole, of their trial or sentencing.

In January Southport child murderer Axel Rudakubana refused to leave his prison cell for a court hearing called to resolve a legal issue, after being jailed for 52 years for murdering three girls at a dance class.

Serial killer nurse Lucy Letby, who murdered seven babies and attempted to kill seven more between June 2015 and June 2016 also chose to be absent from her sentencing.

In Levi Bellfield, who killed Milly Dowler, refused to go into the dock for sentencing for the murders of Marsha McDonnell and Amelie Dela-grange as did “spineless” Jordan McSweeney, who was convicted for the murder of Zara Aleena.

Legally judges have no powers to force defendants to attend court and this, say campaigners, cheats the victims, or victims’ families, of a chance to address the defendant directly.

But this could change as a so-called ‘Face the Family’ law may yet pass through parliament, with Prime Minister Sir expressing his support.

The law change could be made in the Victims, Courts and Public Protection Bill, which is expected to be laid out in Parliament later this year.

The law change was muted by Cheryl Korbel, mother of 9-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel who was shot dead in her Liverpool home by Thomas Cashman in 2022.

Cashman chose not to hear the impact that her death had on her family at his sentencing, where he was jailed for life, with a minimum term of 42 years.

Former Prime Minister , met Cheryl and later said: “It is unacceptable that some of the country’s most horrendous criminals have refused to face their victims in court.

“They cannot and should not be allowed to take the coward’s way out.”

The Conservative government then announced plans to give judges new powers to order offenders to attend sentencing hearings or potentially face an extra two years in prison.

The process was halted by the Conservative government after losing power in July 2024, but Sir Keir has stated his plan to legislate “at the first chance”.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the new law would give judges the power to compel defendants to attend sentencing, and “reasonable force” would be available to dock officers.

She said: “By failing to attend their sentencing hearings, criminals add insult to injury and deny victims and their families a vital part of seeing justice done.

“I will be legislating to give judges the power to order attendance at sentencing hearings, and I will make it clear in the law that reasonable force can be used to make sure that this happens.”