A father recalled the “look of absolute evil”

on the face of his children’s mother as he said goodbye to them for the last time.

Paul Donnison shed tears as he told Lewes Crown Court yesterday about his last moments with Harry, three, and Elise, two.

His former partner Fiona Donnison, 45, is accused of murdering the toddlers between January 25 and January 28, last year.

Mr Donnison told the court that his relationship with his children’s mother had deteriorated and the couple had agreed to go their separate ways.

But when he returned from a business trip to the USA on January 22, Mr Donnison was arrested and was told the defendant had made two complaints of assault to police.

Mr Donnison’s bail conditions meant he could not go to the Lightwater address, contact the defendant and had to live at the former family home in Sheepsetting Lane, Cross In Hand, Heathfield.

He claimed she repeatedly turned up at the house to try and make him breach his bail conditions.

On the night of Saturday, January 23, last year, Mr Donnison returned to his home to get a change of clothes and saw Donnison inside.

He called the police who then accompanied him into the property so he could collect his things and give the children presents.

‘Hatred’ He said: “Fiona was on the landing, Harry was in his pyjamas.

“He came over, wrapped his arms around me and we hugged. I gave him his little toy.

“Fiona was standing two or three feet away with a look of absolute evil and hatred on her face.

“Fiona then shooed him back into his bedroom and that was the last time I saw him alive.

“I went into Elise’s room, she was asleep. I gave her a little peck on the cheek and she wiggled her little nose.

“That was the last time I saw Elise.

“With g reat sadness I left the house and I knew that decision meant I would not see Harry and Elise for a period of time.”

Mr Donnison said he felt his partner was out to get him and their relationship ending would have caused her to become extremely angry.

He said: “She knew they were my life.

“It was the only thing she could hurt me with.”

On September 1, 2009, Donnison had moved with the children into a rented property in Marshwood Road, Lightwater, Surrey, where she is alleged to have suffocated them before putting them into zipped holdalls in the boot of her car.

Former City worker Donnison, denies both charges of murder.

The trial continues.