Crossbow gross sales to be banned in main crackdown after harrowing triple homicide

Crossbow sales will be banned and existing owners will have to apply for a licence to keep them, it has been announced.

New laws will clamp down on the weapons following a string of tragedies, including the sickening murders of Carol Hunt and her daughters Louise and Hannah in 2024. The Home Office said recent tragedies show the devastating harm the weapons can inflict.

A spokesman told The Mirror: “Crossbows are powerful and deadly weapons, and recent tragedies have shown the devastating harm they can inflict when they are misused.

“Our priority is keeping people safe. That is why we are introducing stronger controls for crossbows, including a licensing scheme for existing owners and a ban on sales, so we can prevent serious harm before it happens.

“We will consult on the detailed arrangements, but we expect current owners will be able to keep their crossbow if they apply for a licence and meet the necessary safety checks.

“These measures are about protecting lives and ensuring our communities are safer.”

The Home Office will launch a consultation on the licencing scheme in the coming months. It has yet to be confirmed when the ban will come into force.

The decision comes after a public consultation, which attracted nearly 3,000 responses, raised concerns about the ease with which crossbows could be purchased.

The Government has been looking at restrictions on the deadly weapons since 2021, when Jaswant Singh Chail broke into Windsor Castle threatening to kill the Queen while brandishing a crossbow.

In 2024 evil Kyle Clifford murdered sisters Louise Hunt, 25, and Hannah, 28, at the family’s home in Bushey, Hertfordshire using a crossbow. He had already stabbed their mother, 61-year-old Carol, in the horrific attack.

Last year Clifford was told he would never be freed as he was handed three whole life orders.