A mother-of-six murdered her two teenage sons the day after a bid to poison them failed.
Sarah Barrass, along with family member Brandon Machin, strangled Tristan and Blake Barrass, aged 13 and 14, in Shiregreen, Sheffield, on 24 May.
The court heard how Barrass, 35, would regularly tell her children: “I gave you life, I can take it away.”
Barrass and 39-year-old Machin are being sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court.
They have both previously admitted murder, conspiracy to murder all six of her children, including Blake and Tristan, and five counts of attempted murder.
‘Ensure death’
The court heard the pair hatched the plot to kill the children because Barrass feared they would be taken into care.
They had unsuccessfully tried to poison the four eldest the night before, by forcing them to take ADHD tablets.
Kama Melly QC, prosecuting, said: “None of the children wanted to take the tablets but were forced to do so.
“The defendants expected the tablets to kill the children overnight.”
When the tablets had not had the effect Barrass wanted, she began to search online for other ways of killing her children, including suffocating, strangulation and drowning.
The court was told Barrass then strangled Tristan with her dressing gown cord.
Machin strangled Blake with his hands afterwards.
They “then placed bin bags over their heads to ensure their certain death”, Ms Melly said.
After killing Tristan and Blake, the defendants ran a bath and repeatedly tried to drown one of the younger children.
All the surviving children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are under the age of 13.
The court heard Barrass had approached the local authority to ask for help with her children.
Ms Melly said the mother sent a message to a friend in which she said: “I’ve thought of every possible solution to this mess.
“I love my kids too much to kill them, I can’t put them into care for the same reason.”
Source: bbc.co.uk
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