Jury sworn in for rape trial of crossbow killer

Carol Hunt, Louise Hunt and Hannah Hunt were killed in their home in Bushey, near Watford

A jury has been sworn in for the rape trial of a man who murdered his ex-girlfriend and her sister with a crossbow and their mother with a knife.

Kyle Clifford, 26, of Enfield in north London, has admitted murdering Carol Hunt, Hannah Hunt and Louise Hunt at their family home in Bushey, Hertfordshire, on 9 July 2024.

However he has denied raping Louise, his former partner, on the same day.

Judge Mr Justice Bennathan told jurors that Mr Clifford had not appeared at Cambridge Crown Court on Monday, and added: "You must not assume the defendant is guilty because he is not here."

The judge also told jurors that Mr Clifford had admitted three murders "at or around the time of the allegation of rape".

John and Carol Hunt: Mr Hunt has said the family's devastation "cannot be put into words"

The defendant had previously admitted false imprisonment against Louise, and two counts of possession of offensive weapons - the crossbow and the knife.

Her 61-year-old mother, Carol, the wife of BBC commentator John Hunt, sustained significant stab wounds to her knee, hands, back and torso following an attack by Clifford at the family home in the quiet cul-de-sac of Ashlyn Close.

Hannah, 28, was found in the main doorway of the house with a crossbow bolt to the chest and was still alive when police arrived at the property at around 19:10 on July 9.

Mr Hunt was among relatives who arrived at court for the trial on Monday.

Kyle Clifford is due to go on trial this week at Cambridge Crown Court after denying rape

Mr Clifford, who served in the military from 2019 for around three years, became the subject of a manhunt for a number of hours before he was found injured in Lavender Hill Cemetery, in Enfield, after shooting himself in the chest with the crossbow.

The judge said it would be "fundamentally wrong" to think that Mr Clifford must be guilty of "anything else" because he had admitted murder.

The case against the defendant is due to be opened by prosecutor Alison Morgan KC on Tuesday.