Mother weeps in court as she admits killing her three disabled children who all died while father was visiting relatives in South Africa

·  Tania Clarence pleaded guilty to manslaughter of her three disabled children

·  Denied murder but admitted killing on grounds of diminished responsibility

·  The 42-year-old sobbed in the dock as she entered her plea at Old Bailey

·  Bodies of Olivia, four, and three-year-old twins Ben and Max found in April

·  All three youngsters suffered from type 2 spinal muscular atrophy 

·  Deaths occurred while Clarence's banker husband Gary was in South Africa

 Her investment banker husband Gary, who was in South Africa with the couple’s eldest child when the deaths occurred, attended the court hearing but refused to look at his weeping wife as she confessed to the killings.

He pointedly averted his gaze, staring straight ahead and betrayed no emotion on hearing his frail wife breakdown.

The bodies of the children were discovered by police in the family's £2milliom five-bedroom home in the wealthy south-west London suburb at 9.30pm on April 22.

All three were in their pyjamas in bed and are believed to have been smothered to death.

They all suffered from type 2 spinal muscular atrophy, also known as floppy baby syndrome, which is a genetic condition that leaves children with little control of their movements and can drastically shorten life expectancy.

Clarence was said to have been pregnant with the twins when the family discovered that Olivia had the life–limiting genetic condition.

The couple moved to New Malden last year and spent about £1million adapting their home to cater for their disabled children, fitting a lift and ramps, while Clarence gave up her job as a graphic designer to care for them.

Friends have described how the children had to be fed through tubes and their parents administered medicine hourly as the condition leads to breathing difficulties.

Following the discovery of the bodies, Clarence was taken to St George’s Hospital in Tooting, south London where she received treatment for cuts before being charged by police on April 24.

At a hearing in April, a judge made orders under sections 3 and 35 of the Mental Health Act to remand her for a review of her condition at a secure hospital.

Today, the plea hearing lasted no more than 15 minutes and judge Mr Justice Nicol adjourned the case until October 3.

A provisional trial date has been set for February next year and Clarence was remanded to a secure hospital.