Triple killer Kyle Clifford has been handed a whole-life sentence for murdering his ex-girlfriend, her mother and her sister.

Warning: This article contains distressing details.

The sentence imposed by Mr Justice Bennathan means he will never be released.

The former soldier, 26, admitted murdering BBC racing commentator John Hunt’s wife Carol Hunt, 61, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.

He also pleaded guilty to false imprisonment of his former partner Louise, as well as possession of the crossbow used to kill her and her sister, and the 10-inch butcher’s knife he stabbed their mother to death with.

Clifford denied raping Louise, who had broken up with him 13 days before the four-hour attack in the Hunt family home on 9 July last year.

But he was found guilty by a jury last week after a trial at Cambridge Crown Court, which he refused to attend, prompting police and prosecutors to brand him a “coward”.

The judge paid tribute “to the astonishing dignity and courage” of the victims’ family, including John Hunt and his surviving daughter Amy, who hugged after the sentence.

They, along with Hannah’s partner Alex Klein, had read emotional victim impact statements in court as Mr Hunt said hell would roll out the “red carpet” for him.

He said the evidence showed Clifford “to be a jealous man, soaked in self-pity – a man who holds women in utter contempt”.

The court heard Clifford, from Enfield, north London, began planning the murders after Louise ended their 18-month relationship in a message on 26 June.

He tricked his way inside before stabbing her mother to death in what prosecutors said was a “brutal knife attack”, then lay in wait for an hour for Louise to enter the house.

Clifford held her for more than two hours, as he restrained her with duct tape and raped her, then shot her through the chest with a crossbow moments before her sister Hannah got home and was also killed.

He fled the scene and shot himself with the weapon as armed police descended and is now paralysed from the chest down.

The judge told Clifford, who didn’t attend his sentencing hearing, he went to the Hunt family home to launch “a murderous attack” on his ex-girlfriend’s family.

“You first killed her mother Carol, who even on that day showed you nothing but kindness in the moments before you attacked her,” he said.

“You raped and killed Louise who had been as gentle as she could in ending her relationship with you, after your arrogance and anger proved too much for her to stand.

“Then you murdered Hannah Hunt, who had done nothing to harm you save supporting her little sister.”

The jury wasn’t told Clifford had searched for Andrew Tate’s podcast less than 24 hours before the murders.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said “it is no coincidence” he turned to the “poster boy for misogynists – a poster boy for those who view women as possession to be controlled” the night before committing such “acts of violence against women”.

John Hunt has told the man convicted of murdering his two daughters and wife that hell will roll out a “red carpet” for him.

Kyle Clifford, 26, was given a whole-life sentence for triple murder and rape at Cambridge Crown Court on Tuesday.

He admitted shooting his ex-girlfriend Louise Hunt, 25, and her sister Hannah Hunt, 28, with a crossbow and fatally stabbing their mother, 61-year-old Carol Hunt, last July.

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He had denied raping Louise during the attack, but was found guilty last week.

Mr Hunt delivered a powerful victim impact statement in court, aimed at Clifford,

Here is what he said – warning readers may find some of the content below upsetting:

My name is John Hunt and I am blessed to be Carol’s husband and Hannah, Louise and Amy’s dad.

Thank you for returning the guilty verdict today.

That you had to consider the evidence was purely down to Kyle choosing to not admit responsibility.

You too, are victims of his callous, cowardly, vindictive behaviours and I wish he hadn’t put you through that.

I so wanted to deliver these words, eye to eye with Kyle. I will continue to act as if I am doing so.

‘You simply failed to be the person she needed’

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 this was my final opportunity to say what I want to say to you specifically Kyle, words that will also be directed to your family who will carry guilt forward for the rest of their lives; I know you valued them so poorly from all the conversations we had Kyle, but I suppose even they must be damaged by what you have done.

I also want to confirm to the world the truth, especially how Louise conducted herself within a textbook, mature breakup on her part, understanding the conflict of saying goodbye to someone she once loved but not allowing those memories to cloud her certain knowledge that you simply failed to be the person she needed.

You failed.

I am so proud of all of my girls. Unlike you Kyle, at every step of their lives they made the correct choices to improve themselves as people; Louise enjoyed more success and fulfilment in one morning than you achieved in your entire miserable life.

Do you recall Kyle, how kind we all were to you?

Helping you and Louise enjoy trips away, do you remember how she loved a swanky hotel?

You were always invited to meals out. A Sunday lunch at the pub or a special celebration, you were always made welcome.

The only Christmas you spent together was at our house. Was it four or five days you spent with us? The food, the games, the laughter, the normality… what was it about that blissful existence you hated so much, Kyle? Could you not handle how pleasant it was, such a contrast to what you were used to.

The trips to Italy, Disneyland and many more; Louise gave your relationship so much effort, which you were never able or willing to match.

We all offered you kindness, especially Carol. She had picked up on your personal inadequacies right from the start. She sensed your immaturity but always knew Louise would work things out.

Carol still displayed her compassion right up until the moment she answered the door to you on 9 July. 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 seconds later, savagely stabbed her eight times and ended her life.

‘You are a psychopath’

When I challenge myself about how you were able to deceive us all, I simply say that you are a psychopath who, for the duration of your time together with Louise, was able to disguise yourself as an ordinary human being.

You reserved your best, make-believe version of yourself for the times you were in our house.

You managed to maintain that veneer of decency throughout the first year of your time with Louise, but you couldn’t maintain it in the early part of 2024.

Although Carol and I never witnessed any alarming behaviour, your visits became less frequent. You began the first of two affairs that we know about, your aversion to a day’s hard work continued as you messed up yet another job at Reynolds.

It wasn’t only the Army that found you worthless.

I often think of the list Louise wrote to herself to remind her of the reasons that you fell short. The racism. She was rightly disgusted by that. Your belittling language. The fact that your family is a mess.

Like any woman should be allowed to do, she worked you out despite repeated deceit and said enough is enough. I hope women around the world will take Louise’s bravery as a shining beacon for their lives.

If you feel enough is enough, then it is.

I’d like to remind you Kyle, of how gracious Louise was to you in that final text to you. This is what she said on the 26 June, the morning after she had finished with you face to face.

She texted you thanking you for what was a wonderful year together, explaining how much she once loved you, that she never wanted any animosity to develop between you and that she wanted you to take care of yourself.

You texted back saying: “Thank you for the clarity Louise, so we can both start our healing process. I love you so much and I will for a very long time. I will always be here for you if you ever need me, please don’t hesitate. I wish you all the best and take care of yourself too.”

The difference was, we know now, that Louise meant every word whereas you simply lied.

‘You killed three beautiful mockingbirds, Kyle’

You didn’t love her enough to stop you having those two affairs in the spring of last year. Or to start planning to kill her and her family just days later.

And that a horrific rape on her was part of the plan. Your levels of misogyny are off the scale.

Louise’s favourite novel from her schooldays was Harper Lee’s classic, To Kill A Mockingbird. She was captivated by the goodness of Atticus Finch both as a father and a lawyer.

She would often quote lines from the novel to match life’s challenges.

One of those quotes that comes to mind, right here in this moment is that of Miss Maudie reasserting Atticus’ assertion that it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.

She said: “Your father’s right. Mockingbirds don’t do one thing except make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corn cribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

All their lives, Carol, Hannah and Louise similarly spent their time bringing joy and colour and happiness to other people’s lives.

You killed three beautiful mockingbirds, Kyle.

‘I can’t imagine a more cowardly act’

So, to remind you, over a period of four hours you brutally killed Carol, waited over an hour until Louise came into the house. You incapacitated her, raped her and when you realised Hannah was coming home, you shot Louise in the back.

I can’t imagine a more cowardly act. You couldn’t look her in the eye. You murdered Hannah minutes later. So four hours.

A few weeks later I also spent four hours with them Kyle; in the funeral director’s.

The usual room wasn’t big enough for three bodies but they removed a partition wall so we could all be together. I sat for a while with Louise to my right, she looked so peaceful and Hannah to my left. I couldn’t quite reach to hold their hands at the same time.

Amy and I placed a photograph of Chester in Louise’s right hand. Carol was at the top of the room. She was dressed in a beautiful orange dress she had bought for a wedding we went to a month beforehand.

I stroked her hair and told her how much I loved her. I thanked her for being such a wonderful partner in life and wonderful mother. They were my four hours Kyle.

‘I am lucky’

And what about me? The impact of what you have done will be taken to my grave but on the way there, I want you to know that I stand strong before you today.

As you are consigned to a fate far greater than death, I can draw on the love and strength that I still feel from the girls in every moment of every day.

I am lucky. I have the most wonderful daughter, Amy, who gives me such focus and purpose. I have Gareth and Alex.

I have my extended family, reaching far beyond my mum, brothers and sister, aunts and uncles and cousins. I have many friends who watch out for me on an hourly basis.

Carol’s friends are mine and I now have a renewed relationship with Hannah and Louise’s best friends. I will always be there for them and they will be there for me too.

So whilst I am so badly damaged, I am determined to see what my future is, surrounded by so many amazing people. And the chance to do so has been gifted to me by my incredible Hannah.

I firmly believe that, had she not managed to show such amazing physical and mental strength in raising the alarm after you fatally injured her, then 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. Do you really think after what she did for me, I will slight her memory and example by just giving up?

Even though the days are difficult and feel on many occasions, impossible, I will channel my inner Atticus Finch at all times. He said: “I want you to see what real courage is. Instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand, its when you know you are licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.”

And now comes the time when your fate on this earth will be confirmed.

‘Your misery will last for eternity’

Every single person in the world, I’m thinking of mothers and fathers in particular, especially those daughters, now expects the formality of a life sentence.

Never again to make choices of your own. To breathe fresh air only occasionally. To eat when someone else tells you to eat.

But just remember one thing. Whatever sentence you are about to receive, whatever misery lies ahead for you for the next 60 years. Remember that after your days on earth are done, on your dying day, there will be no release for you.

The screams of hell, Kyle, I can hear them faintly now. The red carpet will come out for you.

At that point, when the person you could have been meets the person you are, you will realise your miserable fate will last for eternity.

Amy Hunt – Mr Hunt’s surviving daughter – also delivered a victim impact statement in court.

Here is what she said:

‘You are a monster’

That day you intruded into a beloved family home, where you yourself had spent lots of happy times, and attacked three defenceless women one by one, alone and out of the blue, with such hideous weapons that ensured they had no means of defending themselves.

I can think of nothing more cowardly than that.

That day, you had a choice, Kyle, and you chose to inflict violence of a horrific scale, all for your own selfish, sadistic aims – all the time, truly thinking of yourself alone.

I can only assume that, in the days after Louise broke up with you, you created a false narrative in your head about how we had supposedly wronged you, in order to allow you to avoid confronting the pain and shame within you – and the truth, that the break-up was entirely your fault.

That day, my mum, Hannah and Louise were all simply living their lives – getting on with their day in their home, working or returning 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.

What you did to Louise that day, Kyle, is nothing short of demonic. To put her through the torture you did is inexplicably horrific.

And I ask again, for what? Because she dared to dump you? Something that was her right and choice? For that alone, you have earnt yourself your rightful spot in hell one day – and we can only hope that even you, who has continually denied this act, feel crippling shame every single moment for being the rapist that you are.

‘Someone who put her family above all else’

My mother Carol was everything to us – hysterically funny, loving, quick-witted, honest, the most caring and someone who put her family above all else her entire life.

She adored her husband and her girls, and was fiercely protective of her children. She loved her home and her extended family and shared the most wonderful, loving, supportive and fun relationships with our dad, that provided me, Hannah and Louise with the perfect example of love – and our home was full of just that every single day, because of her.

She and dad gave us the most amazing childhood we could have ever asked for. My mum and I would talk for hours on end, either in person or on the phone, and she was the very best for providing advice, loving words, or comfort. I will miss the sound of her warm, reasurring voice for the rest of my life.

‘Signature smile and contagious giggle’

Hannah was feisty, hilarious, hard-working, eternally positive and inspiring, straight-talking and the most supportive and protective person you could ever hope to meet.

She would do anything for those she loved, and whenever Hannah was in a room, she couldn’t help but make it better, making everyone there smile and laugh.

She had the strength of a lion and was guaranteed to greet everyone with her signature smile and contagious giggle. Her beauty clients loved and respected her hugely, treasuring their sessions with her, and she them.

She loved hard and had found her soulmate in Alex – their life and future together was written in the stars. And she too adored her family more than anything.

Louise ‘loved passionately and fiercely, but not freely’

Louise was the most gentle, kind, caring, beautiful, sweet and hard-working person there is. But more than that, she had an immensely strong, sassy side to her. In the midst of her bucketfuls of compassion and empathy. She was a values-driven woman, who loved passionately and fiercely, but not freely, and not just to anyone.

She adored animals, mostly dogs, which is why her business had become so hugely successful – though it wasn’t just a business for Louise, but a passion.

But she was so much more than that, of the many things she adored, Louise loved to treat herself to the very best things in life, having worked hard for the priviledge of doing so. As her family, we were besotted with her and she us.

She had the closest group of friends who adored her – and she them. They always has the most fun together, laughing endlessly and simply being silly with each other.

‘My mum and sisters were my very best friends’

My mum and sisters were my very best friends and the impact of their loss is something I cannot put into words. There is nothing I do not notice their absence in. It’s something I will feel every second of every day, until my own dying day.

So, when the stain of Kyle Clifford begins to fade – a man who will be remembered only for his hideousness, evil and cowardice – if he is even remembered at all – the lives and egacy of Carol, Hannah and Louise Hunt will live on forever, because as I mentioned, love is the only thing that means anything in this world.

And my mum, Hannah and Louise are shining beacons of exactly that.

Hollyoaks star Paul Danan died from a cocktail of drugs including cocaine and heroin, an inquest has heard.

Danan, 46, was found dead at his Bristol home in January.

The actor and reality TV star was best known for playing bad boy Sol Patrick in the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks from 1997 to 2001. He later appeared on the celebrity versions of Love Island and Big Brother.

An inquest into Danan’s death was this morning opened and adjourned at Avon Coroner’s Court, Bristol.

Danan was pronounced dead by emergency services at his home on 15 January and his body was identified at the scene by his partner, Melissa Crooks, the inquest heard.

His provisional cause of death has been recorded as combined toxicity of heroin, methadone, codeine, pregabalin, cocaine and zopiclone, contributed to by benzodiazepine use, the court heard.

“I understand there are no family concerns,” coroner’s officer Alexis Camp said.

She added: “No note was left.”

Danan’s GP and family members will be asked to provide statements, as will police officers and ambulance service members, Ms Camp said. Inquiries are also ongoing with Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust.

The provisional date for the full inquest hearing is 28 May.

Danan had been due to appear for a plea hearing on 16 January after being charged with possession of cocaine and cannabis.

He had also been accused of driving while under the influence of drugs in October last year.

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Danan had been open about his struggles with substance abuse, which he said began when he was a teenager.

In 2019, he said on ITV’s The Jeremy Kyle Show that he had to “work hard at it every day to keep in recovery”.

Paying tribute to Danan after his death, fellow Love Island star Calum Best wrote on Instagram: “Life wasn’t always easy for him, but he faced it with such heart and courage, and that inspired so many of us.

“We shared many laughs, chats, and unforgettable moments. My heart goes out to his loved ones right now. Rest easy, brother.”