The decision of triple crossbow and knife killer Kyle Clifford to “turn to Andrew Tate” the night before he murdered three people was “no coincidence”, a court heard.
Clifford, 26, refused to appear in court to face his victims’ family on Tuesday, as he faces life behind bars for killing ex-partner Louise Hunt, her sister Hannah Hunt and their mother Carol Hunt.
A court previously heard the murders were fuelled by the “violent misogyny promoted” by Tate, after it emerged that Clifford searched for the controversial social media influencer’s podcast less than 24 hours before the attacks.
Cambridge Crown Court was told Clifford had been seen by a friend of Louise viewing a Tate video “which showed animals who had been drugged”, which the killer found “funny”.
Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC told the court: “Andrew Tate can properly be described as a poster boy for misogynists, a poster boy for those who view women as possession to be controlled.
“In that context, and in light of all the other background material, it is no coincidence, the prosecution submit, that it was Andrew Tate that the defendant turned to the night before he would go off to commit these acts of violence against women.”
Clifford previously pleaded guilty to murdering Louise Hunt, Carol Hunt and Hannah Hunt, and was later convicted of raping Louise in a “violent, sexual act of spite”.
The court was told he had again refused to leave his cell at HMP Belmarsh, and Mr Justice Bennathan said: “The defendant was asked to attend here or on the video link and refused, and I then had an inquiry from Belmarsh as to whether I would order restraints so he should be brought to the video room.
“I have declined on the basis that the idea of a man in a wheelchair being put in restraints and potentially disrupting these proceedings is simply not appropriate or suitable.
“If the defendant lacks the courage to face today, so be it, but I’m conscious part of this morning will be people paying tribute to the three women who died, and I’m not having that disrupted by anything.”
Kyle Clifford will be sentenced in his absence (Elizabeth Cook/PA)
The defendant had attended previous hearings via video link but refused to attend his rape trial.
Prosecutors previously said Clifford became “enraged” when Louise, 25, ended their 18-month relationship, leading him to “carefully” plan the July 9 murders.
Clifford gained access to the family home by deceiving Carol Hunt, 61, the wife of BBC racing commentator John Hunt, before stabbing her to death in a “brutal knife attack”.
After killing Mrs Hunt, the defendant then “lay in wait” for an hour for Louise to enter the house, before restraining, raping and ultimately murdering her with a crossbow.
He then fatally shot Hannah Hunt, 28, when she returned to the property in the quiet cul-de-sac of Ashlyn Close in Bushey, Hertfordshire, after work.
The court heard Clifford’s supervisor said he was “unhappy with the way that the defendant spoke about women”.
Ms Morgan told the court the defendant had previously been heard making comments such as “I could ride on that”, during the time period when he was in a relationship with Louise.
The court heard another supervisor noted “immaturity” at work and described how he referred to his brother, Bradley Clifford, who is serving a life sentence for murder, as a “geezer”.
The prosecutor had told his brother while he was in prison “I’ve ordered a crossbow”, in conversations recorded on July 1 and July 8 last year.
Ms Morgan also provided background about Clifford’s time as a soldier, with his former commander being recorded concluding he was “wholly unsuited to military employment and has no care nor concern beyond himself”.
Clifford, of Enfield, north London, will be sentenced for three counts of murder, one of rape, one of false imprisonment and two counts of possession of an offensive weapon.