A MAN on trial for murdering his wife and two-year-old son told a jury his belief in reincarnation and the after-life meant that by taking his own life they would be together as a family unit again.

Funeral director Garry Lockhart admitted strangling wife Janet and suffocating son Michael after returning to their home in Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, drunk in the early hours of December 28 last year. The court had heard previously his blood alcohol level had been three times over the drink-driving limit.

Giving evidence at the High Court in Edinburgh, Lockhart, 33, was asked by Brian Gilfedder, his defence solicitor advocate, if he accepted murdering his wife and killing his son. He replied: "Yes" to both questions.

Lockhart initally pleaded guilty to the murder of his wife and the culpable homicide of his son on the grounds of diminished responsibility. The Crown rejected this and he is on trial for two murders.

Asked by Mr Gilfedder how his family life had been, Lockhart replied: "Good", and said he had loved his wife and son.

He agreed he had "snapped" during a row with his wife about coming home late.

Mr Gilfedder asked: "Would it be fair to say if you had not drunk the amount you had taken earlier that night and got involved in a row with Janet that Janet would still be around today?"

Lockhart replied: "Yes."

Mr Gilfedder: "What was going through your mind after you realised Janet was dead?"

Lockhart: "I could not believe it had happened. I didn't believe it was real. The first thing I thought was for Michael and getting his breakfast. It was a few minutes later I realised what had happened.

"Because of the way I was thinking, the only way this issue could be resolved was for Michael and I and Janet to come back together as a family unit."

Mr Gilfedder: "Are you talking about reincarnation? Is it something you believe in ?"

Lockhart: "Yes. I hoped if I had a successful suicide attempt I would be with Michael and Janet."

Mr Gilfedder: "Looking back on that thought process, what do you think about it now?"

Lockhart: "The thought process at the time was wrong. I didn't know what sort of life I would have had, but I would still be living."

Mr Gilfedder: "You thought it was better to kill Michael and kill yourself?".

Lockhart: "Yes."

Mr Gilfedder: "If you had not murdered Janet, you would not have harmed Michael?"

Lockhart: "No."

Advocate Depute, Iain McSporran, prosecuting, asked Lockhart what he should have done after he realised he had killed his wife.

Lockhart replied: "I should not have killed Michael and Michael would be here now and be brought up by his grandparents. My thought process at the time was for us to be together. It is different now. I should not have killed Michael."

Mr McSporran asked: "Do you, here and now, want to be with Janet and Michael?"

Lockhart replied: "Eventually I will."

Mr McSporran asked if he believed in reincarnation and the after-life. Lockhart said: "It is something I have come to. You can come back a number of times and eventually you will end up in heaven."

Mr McSporran: "You decided to end Michael's earthly life so he could be with you and Janet?"

Lockhart: "Michael is with Janet now. I want Michael to be with Janet and me. I want us to be together and this was the only way I could achieve it."

The Advocate Depute put it to Lockhart he was being "selfish".

"The best thing you could do is accept you murdered Michael," Mr McSporran said.

Lockhart replied: "I just don't accept that."

The trial continues.