.png)
Killer in the family podcast
A true crime podcast exploring men who kill their families.
Killer in the family podcast
Episode 56 - Carol, Hannah and Louise Hunt
In July 2024, just last year, Carol Hunt was at her home in Bushey near Watford with two of her three daughters – Hannah aged 28 years old and Louise aged 25 years old. Kyle Clifford – Louise’ ex-boyfriend came to the house to collect some belongings and murdered all three women. A violent man with a history of control, he has just been convicted of the murders and the destruction of nearly a whole family.
This is the story of Carol, Hannah and Louise Hunt.
Information and support
· Samaritans UK Contact Us | Samaritans
· National Domestic Violence Helpline UK 0808 2000 247
· Women’s Aid Home - Women's Aid
· National Domestic Abuse Helpline UK 0808 2000 247
· Mental health support USA Mental Health America | Homepage | Mental Health America
· Domestic abuse helpline USA 1.800.799.SAFE Domestic Violence Support | National Domestic Violence Hotline
References
Tributes paid to three women killed in ‘devastating’ Bushey crossbow attack | UK news | The Guardian
Queens' School 'in shock' after Carol Hunt's murder | Watford Observer
Kyle Clifford: What we know about Bushey triple murder suspect | UK News | Sky News
Tougher crossbow laws considered in bid to prevent violent attacks | The Standard
What are the laws on crossbows and will the new government change them? | ITV News
Credits
Hosted and created by Clare Laxton @ladylaxton
Produced by: Clare Laxton
Killer in the family podcast (buzzsprout.com)
Music from Pixabay.
Killer in the family podcast is a total labour of love. If you'd like to support me please buy me a coffee or tea!
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/clarelaxton
Hi there and welcome to Killer in the Family podcast. I'm your host, claire Laxton. Welcome to episode 56 of Killer in the Family podcast. The podcast has been growing so much in the last couple of months, so a really warm welcome to all my new listeners and thank you for downloading and subscribing every week. I'd be really interested in what you all thought of the last two episodes on Julie Dart and Stephanie Slater. Drop me a message via the link in the episode notes or a DM to my Insta at KillerInTheFamilyPod. Now let's get into this episode.
Speaker 1:In July 2024, just last year, carol Hunt was at her home in Bushy near Watford with two of her three daughters home in Bushy, near Watford with two of her three daughters, hannah, aged 28, and Louise, aged 25. Kyle Clifford, louise's ex-boyfriend, came to the house to collect some belongings and murdered all three women. A violent man with a history of control. He has just been convicted of the murders and the destruction of nearly a whole family. This is the story of a really tough listen team. You might have seen this case in the news recently, as the perpetrator was sentenced a couple of weeks ago. This episode is another one with a slightly different focus. The perpetrator wasn't the husband or father of the victims, but he was the ex-partner of one of the victims and did murder nearly a whole family. There's been lots in the news about Carol and her daughters, so I've relied on a lot of news articles for this episode and, as usual, there are links to information and support in the episode notes if you need it. There are links to information and support in the episode notes if you need it. And before we get into it, I also wanted to acknowledge that this is a very recent case and my purpose in talking about it today is to really centre Carol, hannah and Louise and remember them, not to centre the perpetrator, as so much of the media has done.
Speaker 1:So let's start by talking about the Hunt family. Like for a lot of the other episodes, there is so much out there about the perpetrator of these murders that it is difficult to find lots of background about the family, but here goes. Carol Hunt was 61 years old when she was killed by Kyle Clifford. Carol lived in Bushy near Watford in southern England with her husband, john, and had three daughters. At the time of her murder, carol was an exams officer at local secondary school, queen's School. She'd worked there since 2018 and her duties included things like getting mock exams organised and supporting students through the very stressful time of exams. She was described to the Watford Observer by the head of the school, jonathan Morrill, as very patient and kind. Carol was married to John Hunt, who's a horse racing commentator and has worked for companies such as the BBC, so he's quite well known in the sporting world. Now I couldn't find out how they met each other, but it's clear from all the tributes that they had a really happy marriage and a really happy family, and Carol and John went on to have three daughters.
Speaker 1:Hannah Hunt was 28 years old when she was murdered. She worked as a beautician in nearby Radlet, which was about five miles from Bushy. In nearby Radlet, which was about five miles from Bushy. In a Guardian article, the salon she worked in paid tribute to Hannah after she was killed, saying, quote Now Hannah's sister, louise, was 25 years old when she was murdered.
Speaker 1:She had just started a business as a dog groomer and had been described as a lovely young girl. She ran her dog grooming business from the family home and obviously had a love for dogs, as well as her friends and family. Harold and John's third daughter is Amy. Now I couldn't find out lots about Amy. She wasn't at the family home with her mum and sisters when they were killed. So alongside with her dad, john, she will be grieving and trying to live with the trauma of what they have experienced. So I don't really want to try and invade her privacy and try and dig up anything on her. She's a sister and a daughter and will be grieving alongside her dad.
Speaker 1:In 2024, the Hunt family were a close, close-knit family. They lived in a normal family house in Bushy on a normal suburban street that you think of when you think of suburban life. They were happy, close, loving family. And in 2024, louise Hunt had a boyfriend, a 26-year-old guy called Kyle Clifford. Clifford grew up in Enfield in North London and was apparently in the army between 2019 and 2022, although sometimes the dates are changed and it said he was in the army for a couple of years, so it might be slightly different, but basically he was in the army for a couple of years. He served in the Queen's Dragoon Guards, which is a regiment in the army, and in an article in the Sun it's also claimed that he didn't really fit into army life, with a former colleague saying that everyone else had to pick up the slack from him. Now. He left the army, after I said, after two or three years, and worked in a fire and security installation company, but he left that company in 2023. It's not clear what his work was when he killed Louise, her sister and mother in July 2024.
Speaker 1:On a side note, clifford's older brother, bradley, who's 30 years old, is currently serving a life sentence for murdering a teenager in 2017. According to Sky News, in 2017, bradley Clifford drove into two teenagers who were riding a moped. After his own Mustang was damaged, bradley killed a teenager called Soban Khan, who was just 18 years old. Bradley is still in prison today. Anyway, back to this case Now.
Speaker 1:I couldn't find lots of information about how Louise and Kyle met and, although, as he presented as a nice guy to people, there was clearly another side to him. One of Louise's friends told the Daily Mail quote Kyle was controlling and used to ridicule Louise. In public, he made himself out to be a nice guy, but in private he was anything. But there hadn't been any previous incidents of violence towards Louise, nothing that we knew about anyway but he imposed himself on her, and just think about that description of him. He was controlling. He used to ridicule Louise and he imposed himself on her Real, classic signs of coercive and controlling behavior here now. Apparently he also stopped louise wearing makeup and was very controlling of her and her whereabouts. We have talked about the signs of coercive control lots on this podcast, and controlling what someone wears or looks like is classic controlling behavior, and I'm sure there are lots of other examples of his controlling behaviour as well. We all know through many cases that we have discussed how dangerous coercive and controlling perpetrators can be, particularly at times of separation, and separation was coming for Louise and Clifford.
Speaker 1:In late June 2024, louise broke up with Clifford and was said to be struggling with that breakup. She apparently crashed her car into a telegraph pole just after the breakup and told friends that she was going through a really tough breakup at the time. Now, according to the Mirror, before she was, louise posted this on the social media site. Twitter Quote I admire women who leave, idgaf, which is I don't give a F if you left after the first time or the 12th time. I admire you, idgaf, if people calling you dumb for 11 years, but in the 12th year you decided you was done. So Louise was clearly finally free of Clifford's abuse and control, but sadly not for long. In the early evening of the 9th of July 2024, just last year, neighbours in the suburban close in Bushy had screams coming from a house between 6.30 and 7pm. They thought it sounded like kids messing around, but within 15 minutes the close was swarmed with police and ambulances, warmed with police and ambulances Before those screams were heard.
Speaker 1:Kyle Clifford has arrived at his ex-girlfriend Louisa's house, ostensibly to collect some of his belongings after they had broken up. His intentions had nothing to do with collecting his belongings, though they were violent and murderous. Now, no one knows exactly what happened when the door of the Hunt family home was opened to Clifford, but this is what we do know. He came into the house of his ex-girlfriend, probably angry that she had broken up with him, and seeking revenge, as controlling perpetrators do. He only had fatal violence on his mind. He came armed not only with his anger, but with a 10-inch knife and a crossbow. Harold Hunt, who was just 61 years old at the time, was stabbed in her chest and abdomen. Hannah, who was just 28 years old, was hit with a crossbow bolt and Louise, who was just 25 years old, was tied up and also hit with a crossbow bolt.
Speaker 1:Carol, hannah and Louise didn't die straight away, though. In an amazing feat of bravery, hannah texted a friend for help saying that she, her mum and sister had been stabbed and that the person was still in the house. She then managed to call 999 and ask for an ambulance. She was cut off, though. She called 999 again and gave them her address, so police and ambulance were dispatched. Now I don't want to think what Clifford was doing at that point. He clearly wasn't just going to kill them and leave. He clearly had horrific intentions towards Louise, who was tied to a chair. But I'm sure that once Hannah had managed to give her address to 999 dispatchers, he got out of there pretty quickly.
Speaker 1:There's actually CCTV footage which shows Clifford leaving the house. He's dressed in all black and he's got a large object beneath a white sheet that he's like holding under his arm. He gets into his black car and puts his weapons in the back seat and drives off. Police officers arrive at the Hunt family home just after 7pm. According to a neighbour, there were multiple ambulances and about 16 police cars that came rushing in. The neighbours told the Mirror that there were armed police running to the house telling neighbours to stay in their houses. When police got to the Hunt family home, they found Hannah alive and she was in the hall, sort of near the doorway of the house, with a crossbow bolt in her chest. They found Louise tied up and shot with a crossbow bolt as well, and they found Carol, who had been stabbed and injured in the house. Sadly, 61-year-old Carol, 28-year-old Hannah and 25-year-old Louise died at the scene. Police then launched a manhunt for Kyle Clifford.
Speaker 1:As with so many cases we talk about on the podcast, once news reached the local community, family, friends and neighbours, there was just shock and heartbreak. John Hunt, so Carol's husband and Hannah and Louise's father had actually returned to his house on the evening of the 9th of July from his job commentating at a local racecourse. He had to be told what had happened and I cannot imagine what was going through his head when he turned into his clothes and saw all the police and ambulances. My heart just really breaks here. He and his daughter Amy put out a short statement after the murders, which said, quote the devastation that we are experiencing cannot be put into words. The Daily Mail reported that John issued a longer statement, which was read out by colleague and friend, matt Chapman. It said, quote notwithstanding the horrid evil that swept through our lives, wreaking devastation on an unimaginable scale, the counter to that has been the breathtaking messages of support, some of which are still to be read. Amy, my eldest daughter, has been magnificently inspirational with her control and support for me, which I am trying trying so hard to replicate. Every message has felt so important, the same as a reassuring hug. We know people are worried about us. We will get through this. Many of John's colleagues and employers put out statements of support and tributes to his family as well. According to the Guardian, Matt Chapman, john's friend, issued his own statement as well, which said quote own statement as well, which said, quote news like this is shocking enough, but on a personal level, even more so when it involves a friend and a colleague you totally respect. There are no words here, just the wish to let john know we love him and racing loves him. There are loads of us who he can talk to should he need or want to. John is an outstanding commentator and broadcaster, but he's also just a lovely bloke.
Speaker 1:The day after the murders on July, the 10th police held a press conference and Chief Superintendent John Simpson said that Carol Louise and Hannah had been targeted and attacked with a crossbow and other weapons. They already knew that Clifford was their main suspect. Our overarching objective today is to protect public safety and locate Kyle Clifford, who is wanted in connection with the murder of the three women. In what we believed is a targeted incident. We've extensive police resources deployed to various locations in North London and also the Bushy area. The manhunt also involves armed police officers and specialist search teams responding at pace in the wake of what has been a horrific incident involving what is currently believed to be a crossbow, but other weapons may also have been used. So there was a huge manhunt on for Kyle Clifford, who had escaped the previous day.
Speaker 1:Now, later on, on the 10th July, around 24 hours after the murders, police found Clifford. He was in Lavender Hill Cemetery, which is near Enfield, where he grew up, so this is about 20 miles from the Hunt family home in Bushy. When police found him, clifford had serious injuries, not from the police themselves, but they were self-inflicted. They were thought to be stab wounds to the chest and abdomen. So Clifford was taken from the cemetery in an ambulance to a nearby hospital. He was arrested on the evening of the 11th of July on suspicion of three counts of murder, but was still too injured to be charged. He stayed in hospital and wasn't questioned because of his injuries. Finally, a couple of months later, on the 17th of September, clifford was charged with the murders of Carol Hannah and Louise Hunt, as well as the false imprisonment of Louise Hunt and two counts of possessing an offensive weapon. Imprisonment of Louise Hunt and two counts of possessing an offensive weapon.
Speaker 1:Two months after the murders in September, john Hunt returned to work, commentating on the racing in Brighton. In a statement then he said quote it's been 60 days since my girls Carol, hannah and Louise were killed and whilst Amy and I still feel so wounded and vulnerable, returning to work at Brighton felt achievable and realistic. Carol and I had our last weekend away together in Brighton at the end of May and, looking out from the press box out to sea, my knees buckled recalling us on the Wild Rapids rides on the pier just over three months ago, soaked to the skin and laughing like teenagers. But I know the girls are with me at all times and would have been gently encouraging me to take a breath or two and stride on. Oh, that was. That was a really tough, tough and a tough lesson, I'm sure.
Speaker 1:Later that year, in December 2024, kyle Clifford pled not guilty to the murders of Carol, hannah and Louise, not guilty to the false imprisonment of Louise and not guilty to the charges of possessing an offensive weapon, and not guilty to the charges of possessing an offensive weapon At this point. He was also charged with the rape of Louise, a charge which he again pled not guilty to. Before Clifford's trial, there were calls in the media for new Home Secretary. Labour won the election on the 4th of July, so Yvette Cooper was a very new Home Secretary to tighten the laws on crossbow regulation. Now, I worked with Yvette during my time at Women's Aid when she was Shadow Home Secretary and I genuinely do not doubt her commitment to ending violence against women and girls. The new government have actually committed to halving violence against women and girls within a decade, a pledge that I wholeheartedly support, but worry that we have so far to go.
Speaker 1:So anyway, let's look at the current legislation that governs crossbow ownership and use. So, according to ITV quote, the Crossbows Act 1987 makes it illegal to sell, hire or possess a crossbow if you are under 18 in England, wales or Scotland. The maximum penalty for the sale or hire of a crossbow is six months imprisonment or a fine. Having a crossbow in public without a reasonable excuse could also lead to a prison sentence, but there isn't any requirement for someone who owns a crossbow to register it and have a license, unlike the rules around guns. So what this means is that anyone over 18 can legally buy and own a crossbow and the police won't know who you are. There's no national register on who owns a crossbow, like there is with guns. I mean this. This does seem like a huge gap in the law to me, and I was actually really surprised that anyone can own a crossbow like why would you ever need one? I've no idea.
Speaker 1:Now, apparently, the Home Office were already looking at tightening the regulation of crossbow ownership after a consultation earlier in 2024, and a Home Office spokesperson said of the murders quote this is an appalling incident. And the Home Office spokesperson said of the murders quote this is an appalling incident and the Home Secretary is being kept updated by the police. We keep legislation under constant review and a call for evidence was launched early this year to look at whether further controls on crossbows should be introduced. The Home Secretary will swiftly consider the findings to see if laws need to be tightened further. So I really hope that we will see tighter regulation sometime soon in the future, but sadly, if we do, it will be too late for Carol, hannah and Louise.
Speaker 1:So just a couple of weeks ago, on the 22nd of January 2025, clifford changed his pleas to guilty for all three charges of murder, the charges of false imprisonment and of possessing an offensive weapon. Now, when reporting the fact that Clifford changed his pleas to guilty, one newspaper headline talked about how he had been jilted by Louise before he killed her, her mum and sister Yet another example of the media narrative and response that so desperately needs to change. And so often on the podcast we talk about cases that were like 20, 30 years ago, which did have really, really victim blaming and perpetrator centcentered reporting. But this was just a couple of weeks ago and some parts of the media are still blaming the victims. This has to change. So Clifford is still awaiting sentencing because obviously he changed his pleas to guilty, so there won't be a trial, which I think is something to be thankful for for John and Amy and the rest of their family, and one of the most heartbreaking aspects of this case for me is that I don't know if Clifford could have been stopped.
Speaker 1:There's lots we don't know about what he was up to in the year before the murders, how he treated previous partners and other people, but on face value, it seems that he wasn't known to the police or other statutory agencies that could have intervened. And this is the insidious power and danger of coercive control and perpetrators of coercive control. Often people realise how dangerous they are after it's too late. I think that there will be a domestic homicide review about this case in the upcoming years and it will be really interesting to see what learnings there are for agencies and organisations from that. I think it's also really important to highlight that Carol Hannah and Louise were three of the nearly 100 women killed by men in the UK just last year, which again shows the epidemic levels of violence against women that we are currently living in Again, something that has to change.
Speaker 1:This episode is dedicated to Carol Hannah and Louise Hunt and their family and friends, to the difference they made in their lives and the love they brought to their family, friends and community. We remember them. This has been Killer in the Family podcast written and produced by me, claire Laxton. I'll be back next week with a new episode, and don't forget to send any comments or questions to my Insta. At Killer, in the Family pod or through a text via a link in the episode notes. Do let me know any stories you'd like me to cover as well. Also, don't forget that you can buy me a coffee if you like the podcast and help support its running. The link is in the episode notes and thank you so much to everyone for your support so far.
Speaker 2:Until then, I've been Claire Laxton this is Killer in the Family Podcast. Until next time, take care, thank you, thank you, thank you.
