A MOTHER ran out of her room at a hostel with her hands smeared in blood saying "I killed them, I hurt them", a jury heard today.

Samira Lupidi is on trial at Bradford Crown Court accused of murdering her two young children, three-year-old Evelyn Lupidi and Jasmine Weaver, aged 17 months.

Infront of a packed public gallery, Prosecutor Peter Moulson QC told the jury that Lupidi has admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility but pleads not guilty to murdering both of her daughters.

Lupidi, 24, sat in the dock with an Italian interpreter weeping into a handkerchief as the case was opened.

Part way through details of how the children were found dead, the trial judge Mr Justice Edis allowed her to leave court and sit in a room at the back because she was so distressed.

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Lupidi, her long, black hair tied in a bun, wore a light grey cardigan, white shirt and black skirt for the trial.

Mr Moulson told the jury: “This case involves the killing by the defendant of her own two young children in November last year.”

Mr Moulson said the father of the children Carl Weaver was living with Lupidi in Church Lane, Heckmondwike, when the police responded to a report by her on November 16 that she had been assaulted.

When the police arrived Mr Weaver was not present at the address and Lupidi claimed he had hit her on her arms and legs, though she had no injuries.

Lupidi told officers she was in a four-and-a-half year relationship with Mr Weaver after they met through the internet in her native Italy.

Evelyn was born in Italy and Jasmine arrived after the three had moved to England. Lupidi complained that Mr Weather controlled her, preventing access to her family except by phone and controlling her spending. She said she believed he was “trying to get rid of her”.

The police took Lupidi and the children to a refuge in Bradford.

Mr Moulson said it was not in the public interest to publish the address of the hostel and it would be referred to in the trial as the refuge.

That evening, Mr Weaver discovered Lupidi and the children were missing and he contacted the police expressing concern about them.

A meeting between the couple was arranged in Heckmondwike for the morning of November 17.

Mr Moulson said Lupidi and the children spent that night together at the refuge in a flat known as Unit 5.

The following morning a project worker knocked on the door and Lupidi ran out shouting in English and Italian down a phone.

She said: “They won’t believe that I’ve killed them.”

She then told the staff member: “I killed them. I hurt them.”

The jury heard that her hands were smeared with blood.

Other staff members attended and both children were found on their single beds with stab wounds to their chests.

The emergency services were called but neither child could be saved. They were taken by ambulance to Bradford Royal Infirmary where they were both declared dead.

Lupidi said afterwards: “If I can’t have them, he can’t have them either.”

She also said: “He said he was coming to get me I had to do this.”

The jury heard that both children were found stabbed on their single beds. A kitchen knife with a 10in blade was found at the scene.

A home office pathologist found that both children had nine stab wounds to their chests. Evelyn had two that had penetrated her heart.

Jasmine had been stabbed through her heart and lungs.

Mr Moulson said that in the case of Evelyn there was “some indications of asphyxia” possibly indicating the use of a pillow over her face but the cause of death was the stab wounds.

Lupidi was arrested and said: “I know what I have done. My life is nothing now.”

She made no comment to police questions.

Mr Moulson said that while awaiting trial she had been seen by medical experts.

Mr Moulson told the jury to put aside any feelings of "revulsion or anger."

On April 21 Lupidi was brought to Bradford Crown Court where she formally admitted the killings. She pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denied murder.

Mr Moulson said that Lupidi is claiming that her responsibility and mental functioning at the time was diminished.

The case continues.