A former British soldier who pleaded guilty to the murder of three women at their family home north of London has been sentenced to a whole-life order, meaning that he would never be released from prison.

Clifford, who will be sentenced for three counts of murder, one of rape, one of false imprisonment and two counts of possession of an offensive weapon, is facing a life sentence.

Mr Justice Bennathan sentenced Clifford to a rare whole life order at Cambridge Crown Court on Tuesday, telling him: “The evidence I have heard shows you to be a jealous man soaked in self-pity, a man who holds women in utter contempt.”