Distraught BBC star John Hunt was robbed of the opportunity to look the man who massacred his family in the eye as he shared his unimaginable pain in court.

Rapist Kyle Clifford will die in prison after he murdered Carol Hunt, 61, and her two daughters Hannah, 28, and Louise, 25. The depraved killer raped his ex Louise before killing her in a three-hour ordeal. The jury took just minutes to find him guilty of rape after he sickeningly tried to claim the sex was consensual.

In a final insult to the family he destroyed, Clifford refused to attend his sentencing yesterday. But his cowardice didn't stop John, the father and husband of Clifford's victim's, from sharing incredibly powerful and devastating words about his loss.

At the hearing, sports commentator John bravely stood up in Cambridge Crown Court and spoke as if he was addressing his family's murderer, despite Clifford cowering away in his cell. He told the room how proud he was of all his girls and how mature and kind his daughter Louise was when it came to bravely ending her 18-month relationship with Clifford.

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In his incredibly heartbreaking victim statement, he said: "My name is John Hunt and I am blessed to be Carol's husband and Hannah, Louise and Amy's dad."

The distraught dad then went on to describe what happened when he went to see his wife and daughters in the funeral parlour after they had been laid to rest.

"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, " he said.

Honouring Louise's kind and mature nature in the face of monster Clifford's alarming behaviour, John added: "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."

John spoke of the kindness the whole family showed Clifford, especially his wife Carol. "Carol still displayed her compassion right up until the moment she answered the door to you on July 9. 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."

On the evening of July 9, 2024, Clifford knocked on the family's front door and told Carol he had a card for the family to say goodbye, claiming that he wanted to return Louise's possessions after the break-up. The rouse was all part of his sick plan to get into the property and commit his heinous rampage.

A transcript of their conversation, caught on CCTV, was read out in court, and Clifford could be heard thanking Carol for allowing him to be "part of the family for 18 months".

Carol then told Clifford, "Well I wish you luck Kyle," before he asked for a bag to put in Louise's possessions. But within a minute of stepping inside the property after Carol let him in, a series of screams were heard. Moments later, the beloved mum was dead.

Prosecutors said it was part of Clifford's "deceit" to trick his way into the home before he stabbed Carol to death. He went on to murder Louise and her sister Hannah.

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