Crossbow killer planned 'act of sexual violence'

Kyle Clifford has already admitted murdering Carol Hunt, left, and her daughters Louise and Hannah

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A "cool, calm" evaluation of evidence shows that an ex-soldier who killed a mother and two of her daughters is also guilty of rape, a prosecutor has told jurors.

Kyle Clifford, 26, has admitted murdering ex-partner Louise Hunt, 25, her sister Hannah Hunt, 28, and their mother Carol Hunt, 61, in Bushey, Hertfordshire, in July 2024.

But Clifford, who was armed with a crossbow and a butcher's knife, has denied raping Louise before killing her at the Hunt family home.

The jury retired to consider its verdict Thursday afternoon after an earlier closing speech by prosecution barrister Helen Morgan KC who said Clifford was "beyond any reasonable doubt" guilty of raping Louise.

The three women were the wife and daughters of BBC racing commentator John Hunt.

Jurors at Cambridge Crown Court have heard that Louise ended her relationship with Clifford more than two weeks before he killed her.

Forensic scientist Martin Whittaker told the trial that Clifford's DNA was found in bodily fluid on Louise's body.

He said the evidence showed that she and Clifford had had sex.

Clifford, of Enfield, north London, said the evidence was explained by consensual sex which had taken place on 23 June, when he was in a relationship with Louise.

Miss Morgan said the DNA evidence showed that Louise was raped by Clifford on 9 July before being murdered.

Kyle Clifford, pictured at a previous court hearing, has not appeared at Cambridge Crown Court for the rape trial

She said evidence showed that Louise had been alone in the house with Clifford, after her mother had been stabbed, from shortly before 16:15 BST until 18:49 BST.

Evidence showed she had been restrained and gagged. Miss Morgan added: "The only explanation is that she was raped while she was restrained."

She argued, in a closing speech, that Clifford had planned a "murderous" act and an act of sexual violence.

"If he could not have Louise, no-one else was going to, and he was going to take down her family with her," said Miss Morgan.

"[It was] planned sexual violence as a means of acting out his spite in a brutal act before killing Louise Hunt."

Miss Morgan told jurors they had to ask whether Clifford raped Louise on 9 July 2024.

She added: "A cool, calm view of that evidence shows beyond any reasonable doubt that the answer to that question should be 'Yes'."

The rape trial started on Tuesday at Cambridge Crown Court

Clifford, who is in custody, has not attended the trial.

He has not given evidence and no defence evidence has been called.

Clifford admitted murdering the three women, false imprisonment and possessing offensive weapons at a hearing in Cambridge on 22 January. He has not yet been sentenced for those offences.

Phil Bradley KC, who has led Clifford's legal team, is due to make a closing argument in Clifford's defence on Thursday afternoon.