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| Samira Lupidi: Mother who murdered daughters jailed for life | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A mother who stabbed her two young daughters to death has been jailed for life. | |
| Samira Lupidi, 24, killed 17-month-old Jasmine Weaver and three-year-old Evelyn Lupidi at a refuge in Bradford. | |
| She was jailed for at least 24 years after being found guilty by a jury at Bradford Crown Court. | |
| Lupidi had previously admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility but denied murdering the two girls. | Lupidi had previously admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility but denied murdering the two girls. |
| The court heard Lupidi and her girls ended up in the refuge in November after she called police to her home in West Yorkshire. | The court heard Lupidi and her girls ended up in the refuge in November after she called police to her home in West Yorkshire. |
| She told officers her partner Carl Weaver, 31, had slapped her twice the night before, though one of the officers told the jury there were no visible injuries. | |
| Lupidi, an Italian national, killed the two girls the morning after she moved to the refuge. | Lupidi, an Italian national, killed the two girls the morning after she moved to the refuge. |
| Prosecutors said she stabbed the girls to death because she feared she may lose them to Mr Weaver. | Prosecutors said she stabbed the girls to death because she feared she may lose them to Mr Weaver. |
| Peter Moulson QC said that moments after the killings Lupidi told a member of staff: "It's his fault. Now he has a reason to kill me. If I can't have them, he can't have them either. | Peter Moulson QC said that moments after the killings Lupidi told a member of staff: "It's his fault. Now he has a reason to kill me. If I can't have them, he can't have them either. |
| "He was coming to get me. I had to do this." | "He was coming to get me. I had to do this." |
| 'Spasm of violence' | |
| The bodies of Jasmine and Evelyn were found on a bed at the refuge near a bloody kitchen knife. | The bodies of Jasmine and Evelyn were found on a bed at the refuge near a bloody kitchen knife. |
| A post-mortem examination revealed each girl had been stabbed nine times. | |
| Passing sentence Mr Justice Edis said: "I believe you killed these children in a spasm of violence triggered by a weekend of violent arguments. | |
| "You had formed a delusional belief that you were in danger of being killed and that you were going to be abandoned and that you would not see the children again. | |
| "This is a crime that speaks of rage and I sentence you on the basis that you killed them in anger and out of a desire for revenge. | |
| "Even a week later you were telling the prison medical staff that the most important thing was that Carl Weaver was suffering." | |
| 'Lives filled with sorrow' | |
| She was found guilty of both murders by a jury of six men and six women after 90 minutes of deliberation. | |
| There were shouts of "yes" from the packed public gallery as the verdicts were read out. | |
| Lupidi sat with her head bowed, in tears, as was comforted by a security guard. | |
| Speaking after the sentencing, the family of Evelyn and Jasmine said: "Our lives are now filled with sorrow and our broken hearts will never heal. | |
| "The girls were typical toddlers always wanting to play, always smiling and happy but never that far from being mischievous. | |
| "They have been robbed of their precious lives and we as a family have been robbed of the opportunity to see those beautiful little girls grow into beautiful young women." |