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Kyle Clifford, 26, was given a whole-life order today for the murder of Carol Hunt, Hannah Hunt and his ex-partner Louise Hunt.

He also raped Louise, a charge he had denied at trial.

The former soldier - who, the court heard, had a wholly underwhelming military career - refused to attend today.

That meant his victims' family - BBC racing commentator John Hunt and his daughter Amy - addressed him in their statements in his absence.

In powerful remarks, both told Clifford he will have to live with his crimes for an eternity, while they will continue to lead the lives their family would have wished for them.

The judge, Mr Justice Joel Bennathan, agreed, condemning Clifford to prison for the rest of his life.

"You'll never be released," he said.

Scroll down for all of today's developments, or catch up with this brief recap:

• The court heard Clifford's brother, who is spending life in prison, told him "you can't just order a crossbow bruv" when he told him of his plan to buy the weapon;
• Carol Hunt, the mother of Hannah and Louise, tried to defend herself when Clifford attacked him with a knife; 
• John Hunt, her husband, said he would have been Clifford's fourth victim were it not for his daughter Hannah raising the alarm;
• He also told Clifford a "red carpet" awaits him in hell;
• Amy Hunt, the surviving sister, said her family is "human" - but Clifford "plainly" is not;
• Downing Street branded Clifford a "coward" for not appearing at court to face his victims;
• And in his absence, the judge said the Hunt family showed a "gentle heroism" Clifford can only dream of, as he put him behind bars for the rest of his days.

Kyle Clifford will never be free again.

That's because he's been sentenced to a whole-life order, which means he can't be released except in exceptional compassionate circumstances.

Judges reserve this penalty for only the most serious crimes - mostly murder - taking into account:

• the level of planning
• vulnerability of victims
• scale of killing

He joins dozens of others in the UK sharing a similar fate.

Lucy Letby

Perhaps the most notorious case of recent years resulting in a whole-life order - Lucy Letby was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others.

While there are calls to review her conviction, as it stands she has no prospect of walking free again.

Wayne Couzens

Couzens abused his position as a Metropolitan Police officer to falsely arrest 33-year-old Sarah Everard in March 2021.

Despite being off duty at the time, he put her in his car and drove her to Kent where he raped and strangled her.

It was a murder that sparked outrage across the country and ultimately put Couzens behind bars for the rest of his life.

Levi Bellfield

Bellfield abducted and killed schoolgirl Milly Dowler, 13, on her way home from school in Surrey in 2002.

He also killed 19-year-old Marsha Louise McDonnell and 22-year-old Amelie Delagrange - murders he was convicted for in 2008.

In prison, he confessed to Milly's killing.

Rose West

West carried out 10 murders between 1973 and 1987.

She was convicted in 1995 and is still an inmate at HMP New Hall in West Yorkshire.

And one who doesn't have a whole-life order...

Axel Rudakubana, who killed three young girls last summer in Southport, was sentenced to 52 years in prison - but not a whole-life order.

That's because he carried out the crimes nine days short of his 18th birthday, meaning by law he cannot be sentenced to a whole-life order. 

That can only be imposed on criminals aged 21 or over and is considered in exceptional circumstances for those aged 18 to 20.

The judge said he has "no doubt" he must impose a whole life order - a sentence "from which you'll never be released", he told Kyle Clifford.

Here's the moment Mr Justice Bannathan revealed the extent of the killer's punishment and his reasons for it.

The sentence imposed on Kyle Clifford was "inevitable", our crime correspondent Martin Brunt says from outside Cambridge Crown Court.

"He rather ticked all the boxes that make killers qualified for whole-life sentences and the judge spent a few minutes explaining that," he says.

Brunt explains the multiple murders, the use of extreme violence and the mental torture the victims were put through before they were killed were all factors.

"All of that outweighed any mitigation that the judge might have given Clifford," Brunt added.

"Of course, Clifford wasn't there, he refused to attend his trial last week and refused to come and listen to the sentencing and to those very dramatic impact statements from members of the Hunt family."

Kyle Clifford's sentence is "fitting for the appalling nature of his crimes", says detective chief inspector Nick Gardner.

"Clifford showed once again he is a coward," he adds, speaking outside court.

He criticises Clifford for refusing to attend court, and says he denied rape despite "overwhelming evidence".

"Clifford has many years ahead of him to consider the consequences of crimes," he says.

Lisa Kiff, from the Crown Prosecution Service, has released a statement after the sentencing. 

Kyle Clifford "has attempted to escape the gravity of his actions" at every turn, she says.

"From seeking to evade arrest, to not attending his trial or the sentencing hearing today - his lack of remorse and accountability for the truly inhumane crimes he committed has been laid bare," she says.

She says the decision to try him for rape despite his guilty pleas has been "vindicated" by his conviction. 

"I want to express my heartfelt sympathies and admiration to the Hunt family," she says.  

"They had the strength and courage to attend court every day and hear first-hand the devastating truth of what happened to Carol, Louise and Hannah - something which, in stark contrast, Clifford was too cowardly to do.

"We hope today's sentence, which ensures Clifford can never hurt anyone again, can help the Hunt family with their healing process as they navigate the future and continue to honour the lives of Carol, Louise and Hannah."

Some jurors nod at John Hunt as they walk past him on their way out of court.

He embraces his surviving daughter Amy and other friends and family members at Cambridge Crown Court.

Summing up his remarks, Mr Justice Joel Bannathan paid tribute to their dignity through the trial.

"I pay tribute to the astonishing dignity and courage with which Carol, Louise and Hannah's family conducted themselves throughout these proceedings," he said.

Wrapping up his remarks, the judge says he is left in "no doubt this is a sentence I must impose".

Addressing Kyle Clifford's career in the military, Mr Justice Bennathan says it could be "significant mitigation" in "many cases".

"Not so in your case," he tells Clifford, who isn't in court today.

He says Clifford spent 286 days at home claiming to be ill during his time as a soldier, and his "utility" to the armed forces could be summed up by a parting comment from his commanding officer.

That office said Clifford's character is "wholly unsuited" to military employment and that he has no "care or concern beyond himself".

He's ended his remarks now, leaving Clifford to begin the rest of his life in prison.

As we've already reported, Kyle Clifford will serve a whole-life term for the murders of Carol, Louise and Hannah Hunt.

He is also sentenced to a concurrent 20-year sentence for raping his ex-girlfriend Louise. 

He gest one year for possession of crossbow, one year for possession of a knife and eight years for false imprisonment.  

The judge says he is satisfied "Clifford planned and contemplated killing all three" of his victims. 

Praising the statements made by John and Amy Hunt in court this morning, the judge says Kyle Clifford could "only dream" of their "heroism".

Mr Justice Bennathan said: "The statements of John and Amy Hunt also demonstrated great courage and determination that your terrible crimes will not define them or stop them leading the lives Carol, Louise and Hannah Hunt would have wished for them.

"They showed a gentle heroism of which you can only dream."