'You Can Find Some Light Again' – John Hunt Gives First Interview Since Family Murders

BBC racing commentator John Hunt has vowed to treat life as “a gift” in his first interview since his wife and two of his daughters were murdered in a crossbow and knife attack at their family home.

Kyle Clifford, 26, killed his ex-partner Louise Hunt, 25, her sister Hannah Hunt, 28, and their mother Carol Hunt, 61, on July 9 last year. Clifford was sentenced to a whole-life order at Cambridge Crown Court in March after pleading guilty to the murders, while he was later convicted of raping Louise in a “violent, sexual act of spite”.

Hannah was able to message her boyfriend and call 999 in the moments before she died in the attack, telling them what had happened and who was responsible.

“Police officers of 30 years' experience had their breath taken away by how brave she was, how she was able to think so clearly in that moment, to know what she needed to do,” Hunt told BBC News.

Asked if his daughter's actions had saved his life, he said, “That's what I believe. I said it in court and I said many, many times, her doing that has given me life. And I've used that to re-ground myself on a daily basis.

“I get to live. Hannah gave me that and I've got to treat it as a gift from her.”

Hunt, who was joined in the interview by his surviving daughter, Amy, also explained how he still speaks to his wife and two daughters each day.

“From the moment I wake up, I say good morning to each of them,” he continued. “Sometimes I say out loud to Hannah and Louise, 'Girls, sorry I can't be with you, I'm with your mum at the moment'.

“As I close my eyes at night, I chat to them as well. So, yeah, [they're] very close [to me] all the time.”

Hunt still lives in the family home and said his return to commentary work had helped him move forward in the months after the sentencing.

He added, “When it happened, I thought, 'How on earth am I ever going to be able to care about anything ever again?'

“It's fine to sit with that thought in the wreckage of what was our personal disaster. But you come to realise that, with a little bit of work, you can find some light again.”