Crossbow killer Kyle Clifford has been told that he faces the ‘screams of hell’ after slaughtering BBC star John Hunt’s wife and two daughters.
But even in life, his years will be filled with horror as he rots in a high-security jail so brutal it has been dubbed ‘Hellmash’ by inmates.
The cowardly former soldier is locked up alongside some of the country’s most notorious lags, including David Amess killer Ali Harbi Ali, neo-Nazi bomber David Copeland and Southport devil Axel Rudakubana.
The southeast London fortress is reserved for male prisoners who pose a threat to the public, the police or national security. Known as Britain’s Guantanamo Bay, dozens of terrorists and high-profile criminals.
Clifford, 26, will caged for the rest of his life after he was handed a whole-life order yesterday for subjecting the three women to a terrifying five-hour ordeal last July, raping and murdering Louise Hunt, 25, with a crossbow at her family home in Bushey, Hertfordshire.
On the same day, he fatally stabbed her mother Carol, 61, eight times and shot dead her 28-year-old sister Hannah with the crossbow.
He refused to leave his cell to face Mr Hunt and his surviving daughter Amy in a shameful final insult, with the racing commentator telling him hell is going to ‘roll out the red carpet for you’.
The judge said HMP Belmarsh had discussed using ‘restraints’ but the judge added: ‘I’ve declined on the grounds of a man in a wheelchair being put in restraints is simply not appropriate. If the defendant simply lacks the courage to face today, so be it.’
Clifford’s new neighbours are believed to include child-killer Rudakubana, who was sentenced earlier this year to more than half a century for killing Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, as well as the attempted murder of eight other children and two adults at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.
Kyle Clifford (pictured) raped and murdered his ex-girlfriend Louise, 25, and killed her mother, Carol, 61, and sister Hannah, 28
John Hunt (left) is pictured with his family Carol (right), Amy (second left) and Louise (second right)
Graffiti reading ‘Welcome to Hellmarsh’ is written on a first night cell at the infamous prison
At the time of its last inspection Belmarsh had 719 inmates, of which more than one in ten had been sentenced to life. Its high security unit held 17 prisoners. Pictured: A cell in the high security unit
Some lags were found to have as little as 90 minutes a day out of their cells, while a third remained locked up during working hours. Pictured: A shower in the segregation unit
Belmarsh, in south-east London, is a top security prison that houses many of Britain’s most dangerous killers, sex offenders and terrorists
The sick teenager was only spared a whole-life term because the horrific crime on July 29 last year happened nine days before his 18th birthday, when he was a juvenile.
His cellmates are also likely to number recently-convicted Daniel Khalife, who notoriously escaped from prison and went on the run, Urfan Sharif, who was convicted of murdering his 10-year-old daughter, Sara, following a campaign of abuse and Ali Harbi Ali, who murdered Southend West MP Sir David Amess in 2021.
Other Belmarsh inmates include serial rapist and burglar Delroy Grant, former television presenter Paul Ballard, who was convicted of rape and death by dangerous driving and devil-worshiping murderer Danyal Hussein, who killed sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman.
He is also expected to share quarters with neo-Nazi David Copeland, who carried out the London nail bombings in 1999, Louis De Zoysa, who shot dead an on-duty police sergeant ay Croydon police station in 2020, park murderer Khairi Saadallah and Grind killer Stephen Port.
At the time of its last inspection Belmarsh had 719 inmates, of which more than one in ten had been sentenced to life. Its high security unit held 17 prisoners.
Some lags were found to have as little as 90 minutes a day out of their cells, while a third remained locked up during working hours.
Responses to a prisoner survey in June last year claimed that three quarters hate the food, 45 per cent receive poor health services and nearly half reported being bullied or victimised by staff.
A total of 38 per cent of inmates said it was was to get illicit drugs, while more than one in five could get alcohol and 36 per cent found it easy to get medication that had not been prescribed to them.
Axel Rudakubana, 18, has been jailed for a minimum of 52 years and is currently in Belmarsh – but prisoners, past and present, have predicted he will be attacked
Daniel Khalife, who escaped from HM Wandsworth, was found guilty of spying for Iran and is now at Belmarsh
Another notorious Belmarsh inmate is Stephen Port, known as the Grinr killer
David Copeland, a neo-Nazi who carried out the London nail bombings in 1999
Former children’s TV presenter Paul Ballard, 39, had taken cocaine and cannabis when he ploughed into 64-year-old Eileen Haskell’s car in his VW Golf
For those on the high security wing, a quarter said they were more likely to reoffend because of their prison stay, while 58 per cent said it made no difference.
The Inspectorate report added that the main segregation unit and segregation cells in the high security unit were dirty and the showers unsanitary, while many rooms did not even have bedding, clothing and chairs.
The grounds of the prison were strewn with litter, while the food preparation areas were deemed unhygienic.
Category A prisoners took as much as 17 weeks longer than other lags to receive dental treatment, while the education and careers information given out was poor.
Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is currently thought to be in solitary confinement at Woodhill Prison in Milton Keynes, having started out at Belmarsh.
Clifford could also be moved out of Belmarsh to other prisons around the UK for his own safety and held in isolation.
Other options include Full Sutton in York or Frankland Prison in Durham.
If he is put into isolation, he would still be entitled to exercise, showers and phone calls home.
Serial rapist and burglar Delroy Grant is now likely to rub shoulders with Axel Rudakubana
Ali Harbi Ali was given a whole life sentence for the murder of Sir David Amess
Urfan Sharif, father of 10-year-old Sara Sharif, who was jailed for life for her murder with minimum term of 40 years
Satanist Danyal Hussein murdered sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman in an attack in Wembley with a kitchen knife
Tommy Robinson was at Belmarsh prison but may have been moved for his own safety
‘Welcome to Hellmarsh’: The origins of Britain’s toughest lock-up
HMP Belmarsh is a Category A men’s prison in southeast London, which is notorious for caging some of Britain’s most high-profile prisoners.
Category A prisons house male prisoners who, if they were to escape, pose the most threat to the public, the police or national security.
Considered the toughest in the UK, it is known as ‘Hellmarsh’ among the lag community – a term thought to have been coined by Jeffrey Archer when the former politician was imprisoned there for four years.
It was first opened in 1991, becoming the first adult male prison established in London since 1874, when Wormwood Scrubs was built.
Previous inmates include Abu Hamza, Charles Bronson, Julian Assange and Ian Huntley.
Clifford admitted the three murders, false imprisonment and possession of weapons but forced Louise’s family and friends to hear harrowing evidence at the trial after denying the rape. He was convicted last week.
The killer’s brother Bradley is serving life with a minimum 23 years for murder after ramming a moped driver with his car following a dispute over a woman.
Mr Hunt and his eldest and surviving daughter Amy maintained a dignified silence as the sentences were read out, but wept and hugged each other afterwards.
The racing commentator closed his eyes briefly as he heard the whole life tariffs.
In an act of compassion towards the victims’ families, the judge took the unusual step of handing out the sentences before delivering marks, telling the court it was no occasion to subject those grieving to ‘any delay or suspense’.
Mr Justice Joel Bennathan, who issued the sentences at Cambridge Crown Court, said: ‘The evidence I’ve heard shows you to be a jealous man, soaked in self-pity. A man who holds women in utter contempt.
‘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.’
Earlier, relatives wept as Mr Hunt paid tribute to his slaughtered wife and two daughters in an emotional victim impact statement.
‘I so wished to deliver these words eye to eye Kyle and I’ll continue to do so as if I was doing that,’ he said.
‘The screams of hell, Kyle. I can hear them faintly now.
‘They’re going to roll the red carpet out for you.’
The grounds of the prison were strewn with litter, while the food preparation areas were deemed unhygienic by inspectors. Pictured: Litter at HMP Belmarsh
A total of 38 per cent of inmates said it was was to get illicit drugs, while more than one in five could get alcohol and 36 per cent found it easy to get medication that had not been prescribed to them. Pictured: Showers at HMP Belmarsh
The Inspectorate report added that the main segregation unit and segregation cells in the high security unit were dirty and the showers unsanitary, while many rooms did not even have bedding, clothing and chairs
Responses to a prisoner survey in June last year claimed that three quarters hate the food, 45 per cent receive poor health services and nearly half reported being bullied or victimised by staff
Sentencing Clifford, Mr Justice Bennathan continued: ‘Your brutal and cowardly attack had been planned over about 11 days.
‘You conducted extensive research into the movements of Louise’s father John, into her mother’s Facebook page, into buying a crossbow, a knife and an air pistol, and even into the weather on the day of the attack.’
The judge added that Clifford wrote letters to his own family that were ‘dripping with self-pity’.
Addressing the victim impact statements made by Amy and Mr Hunt, he added: ‘They showed a gentle heroism of which you, Kyle Clifford, can only dream.’
The judge imposed a concurrent 20 year term for Louise’s rape, eight years for her false imprisonment, and one year concurrent for each of the possession of a weapon counts.
Mr Hunt’s eldest daughter Amy Hunt broke down in tears part way through her victim impact statement, condemning Clifford for his ‘monstrous, selfish actions’.
‘It’s clear that you hate women Kyle and can’t handle being confronted by a strong woman like my sister Louise,’ Amy said.
Turning to each family member, Mr Hunt commended daughter Louise’s ‘bravery’, Hannah’s ‘amazing physical and mental strength’ and wife Carol’s ‘compassion’.
Mr Hunt is pictured with his wife Carol, who was killed alongside two of their three daughters
Louise (left), Hannah (centre) and Carol (right) were murdered in their home in Bushey, Hertfordshire, last July
The crossbow used by Clifford. Photo issued by Hertfordshire Police
First, of Louise, he said: ‘I hope women round the world will take Louise’s bravery as a shining beacon for their lives. If you feel enough is enough, then it is.’
Louise had courageously ended her relationship with Kyle after becoming alarmed by his controlling behaviour.
Addressing the murder of his wife Carol, Mr Hunt said: ‘Carol still displayed compassion right up until the moment she answered the door to you.
‘Do you remember her kindness, Kyle? How she urged you to get some relationship help and guidance for fear that you would never be able to sustain a lasting relationship?
‘You calmly accepted that advice on the doorstep and then literally seconds later, savagely stabbed her eight times and ended her life.’
Then honouring his ‘incredible’ daughter Hannah, Mr Hunt added: ‘I really believe that had she not managed to show such amazing physical and mental strength in raising the alarm after you, Kyle, fatally injured her, that I would have been your fourth victim that day.
‘Hannah handed me a second chance, one that she worked so hard to achieve for me.’
At the start of yesterday’s hearing, Mr Justice Joel Bennathan said: ‘The defendant was asked to attend but refused.’
Court artist sketch of BBC racing commentator Mr Hunt giving his victim impact statement
Court artist sketch of Amy Hunt giving her victim impact statement in court
It meant the family – including Louise’s father, BBC horse racing commentator John Hunt – who acted impeccably throughout the process – never got the chance to look the killer in the eye.
Responding to the final insult, a Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: ‘Judges can order a defendant to appear for any hearing if it is in the interests of justice. If defendants refuse, they can be punished, including losing privileges in prison.
‘We will bring forward new legislation to make clear beyond any doubt offenders can be ordered to court, with reasonable force being used where necessary.’
In her own victim impact statement, the family’s eldest daughter Amy broken down in tears at Clifford’s ‘selfish and sadistic aims’.
‘You planned to take the lives of three women who have never done anything to hurt you and for what – you got dumped,’ she said.
‘That day, my mum, Hannah and Louise were all simply living their lives, getting on with their day in the home working or returning to their home after work.
‘Their home is a place that was and should have continued to be safe for them and you made it the most unsafe place in the world for those few hours – you are a monster.’
Mr Hunt bravely told the court he wanted to deliver his victim impact statement ‘eye to eye with Kyle’ – but was denied the chance by the cowardly killer.
The knife packaging is pictured in a photo issued by police
He 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 his 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.’
Mr Hunt said Kyle had been ‘always welcome’ in the family home, adding: ‘The only Christmas you spent together was at our house. Was it four or five days? The laughter… the films… the normality.
‘What was it about that blissful existence you couldn’t handle?’
Carol had spotted Clifford’s ‘personal inadequacies at the start’ but allowed Louise to find out in her own time.
Mr Hunt, who attended with his surviving daughter Amy, described her killer as ‘callous, cowardly and vindictive’ during sentencing at Cambridge Crown Court.
The BBC racing commentator told the court how Louise’s favourite book was To Kill a Mockingbird and mentioned a scene where one of the characters says how it’s wrong to kill them because all they do is ‘make music’.
Louise Hunt (pictured), who was formerly in a relationship with Clifford, was killed alongside her mother and sister in the crossbow attack in Bushey in July last year
Brave Hannah Hunt called 999 during the attacks and was still alive when police arrived at the home in Bushey, but later died from her wounds
‘All their lives, Hannah, Louise and Carol simply brought joy and happiness to other people’s lives. You killed three beautiful mockingbirds Kyle,’ Mr Hunt said.
Mr Hunt described himself as ‘badly damaged’ but said he has received strength from his ‘incredible Hansie’ Hannah, who courageously raised the alarm after being struck by Clifford.
Phil Bradley KC, mitigating for Clifford, said that the defendant’s offending was ‘quite simply appalling’.
But he invited the judge at Cambridge Crown Court to ‘step back from imposing a sentence of last resort, a whole-life term’.
The judge, Mr Justice Joel Bennathan, said he needed time to consider the sentence he will pass and that he would return to do so at 2pm.
As Clifford’s sentencing got underway, a court source told the Mail: ‘He won’t be appearing in court or on CVP.
‘Everything has been done to try and convince him but it’s not going to happen.’
The non-attendance will renew pressure for new rules forcing criminals to face the music in person. Those who have refused to appear in court include Lucy Letby, who didn’t attend her sentencing.
Hate-filled misogynist Clifford fuelled his fury by watching obnoxious Andrew Tate videos the day before he murdered the three women.
Carol was butchered with a ten-inch knife at the family home in Bushey, Hertfordshire, before evil Clifford waited for Louise to come in and subjected her to a two-and-a-half-hour rape ordeal, during which she was bound and gagged with duct tape.
He then shot her through the heart with a crossbow and did the same to her sister when she got home moments later.
Clifford admitted the three murders, false imprisonment and possession of weapons but forced Louise’s family and friends to hear harrowing evidence at the trial after denying the rape. He was convicted last week.
The killer’s brother Bradley is serving life with a minimum 23 years for murder after ramming a moped driver with his car following a dispute over a woman.
Traumatised Mr Hunt and his eldest daughter, Amy – who were not at home during Clifford’s rampage – will not be commenting after sentencing, police said.
Friends had noticed how Louise started wearing less makeup and wasn’t allowed to see male friends on her own during the 18-month relationship with Clifford.
Her growing doubts came to a head on June 22 last year when they went to a friend’s wedding in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, and he ‘belittled’ her by boasting about sleeping with other women and mocking her cooking.
She dumped him shortly afterwards, unaware he had had at least two affairs while they were together.
On July 9 – having bought a murder kit including the crossbow, knife, duct tape, rope and other paraphernalia – Clifford turned up at the £800,000 detached family home to enact what the prosecution called his ‘violent, sexual act of spite’.
He talked his way in, telling Carol he had a farewell card for the family and was also dropping off some of Louise’s belongings.
Her obvious fear at his appearance was caught on audio from two security cameras at the house as she admitted she felt like she’d seen a ‘ghost’.
It would also record screams from the women as they were murdered, one by one, and the ‘whooshing’ sound of the crossbow as bolts were unleashed.
After a jury took just 45 minutes to convict Clifford unanimously of rape last Thursday, Mr Justice Bennathan said: ‘It’s unspeakable what friends and family have witnessed in this court.’
Brave Hannah managed to call 999 as she lay dying. All three women were declared dead at the scene.
Clifford was found hiding in Lavender Hill Cemetery, near his home in Enfield, north London, the following day.
He shot himself with the crossbow as officers approached and was left paralysed from the chest down.
The only time he showed emotion during a police interview was when crocodile tears appeared as officers mentioned a suicide note in which he wrote: ‘I could be a better man. But I choose not to.’
The case has renewed concerns about the tidal wave of toxic masculinity spouted by online influencers such as Tate – who has been accused of rape by several women and was accused of sexual misconduct and human trafficking in Romania, allegations he denies – brainwashing impressionable young boys and men.
The government has also said it will look at laws governing the sale of crossbows.
