A WOMAN wept as she appeared in court charged with the murder of her three young disabled children, watched by her devastated husband.

Tania Clarence, 42, looked over at her husband and broke down in tears yesterday as she stood in the dock accused of killing her three-year-old twin sons, Ben and Max, and four-year-old daughter, Olivia, at their home.

Her investment banker husband, Gary, 43, also broke down in tears as he locked eyes with his wife from his seat in the public gallery during the brief hearing.

Wearing a black suit and white shirt, Mr Clarence walked into Wimbledon Magistrates' Court supported by a group of people believed to be family and friends.

He hugged two women in the public gallery before sitting down to watch the proceedings.

Wearing a grey top with a white long-sleeved top underneath, his wife looked fragile as she stood in the glass-fronted dock at the court in south west London, accused of the triple murder.

She spoke only to confirm her name, age and address.

She is accused of three counts of murdering a child aged over one year old between April 20 and April 23 this year. All three young children were said to have suffered from spinal muscular atrophy.

Also known as floppy baby syndrome, the genetic condition leaves children with little control of their movements and can drastically shorten life expectancy.

Police were called to the family's five-bedroom home in Thetford Road, New Malden, south west London, at 9.30pm on Tuesday night