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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Josh Payne

‘Racist and nasty’ killer was aggressive to murdered ex-partner, court told

Kyle Clifford appearing via videolink at an earlier hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, London. Clifford (Elizabeth Cook/PA) - (PA Wire)

Triple killer Kyle Clifford has racist and transphobic views and behaved in an “aggressive manner” towards his ex-partner before the break-up that led to her murder, a court heard.

Cambridge Crown Court was told that Louise Hunt’s friends and family “hoped that the relationship would come to an end” after they became concerned about the way Clifford treated her.

A jury panel heard how Clifford had been “in relationships with other women, which he hid from Louise Hunt” during their 18-month relationship.

The jury panel heard how Clifford had been ‘in relationships with other women’ (Elizabeth Cook/PA) (PA Wire)

The defendant previously admitted murdering Louise, her sister Hannah Hunt and her mother Carol Hunt, as well as one count of false imprisonment against Louise, and two counts of possession of offensive weapons, the crossbow and the knife.

Clifford and Louise had been together for 18 months after meeting on a dating app, the court heard.

After ending the relationship in late June, the jury heard how Louise had created a note on her phone as a “reminder to herself that she had done the right thing” to break up with him, setting out “all the things he had said and done that were not acceptable.”

The list, titled “When you’re sad, look”, included Clifford’s brother, Bradley Clifford, being in prison for murdering a teenage moped rider he had ploughed into in 2017.

Bradley Clifford was jailed for life with a minimum term of 23 years for the fatal attack on Soban Khan.

The court heard that Louise had created a ‘reminder to herself that she had done the right thing’ to break up with Kyle Clifford (Hertfordshire Police/PA) (PA Archive)

Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said Louise had also written that Kyle Clifford had made “racist comments”, “commented he did not like transgender people”, and that he had used “belittling language”.

She also made reference to his “road rage”, his family issues and that he found his father and brother’s violence “funny”.

The court heard her friends had also been told about the defendant’s behaviour, with one saying Louise had said Clifford had a “nasty temper” and had spoken of a number of incidents where he had “behaved in an aggressive manner”.

The jury panel was told a member of Louise’s family had found Clifford to be “odd” and was concerned about their relationship and the way he treated her.

Hannah Hunt told the family member she found Clifford “disrespectful, rude and arrogant” and that she hoped the relationship would come to an end.

The court was told a friend’s wedding had been the “catalyst” for the break-up with Clifford upsetting Louise by implying he had slept with a number of people at the event.

One of Louise’s friends said she had witnessed his “unpleasant behaviour towards others” describing him as “not caring what others thought and doing what he wanted, including behaving in a rude manner.”

Ms Morgan said Clifford also made a “series of patronising comments” about Louise’s ability to use an oven.

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