Pasquale Riggi: 'My beautiful children will live in our minds and hearts forever'

After listening to how his children had died at the hands of his estranged wife, a statement by Pasquale Riggi was read outside the court.

It said: "The loss of my three beautiful children has been an overwhelming tragedy. Nothing can be said, at this or any other time, which can mitigate what has happened.

"I and my extended family loved Austin, Luke and Cecilia dearly, and they live in our minds and hearts forever.

"I do not know what lies ahead but, wherever my life takes me, my friends and family, it will be with the memory of a dreadful loss and of gratitude for all the good times spent with Austin, Luke and Cecilia.

"My family wish to thank all of those who have provided, and continue to provide, tremendous support. My intention now is to move on, which will not be an easy task."

Mr Riggi has been absent in the picture that has repeatedly accompanied media coverage of the children's deaths - of a blonde and glamorous Riggi, in a green ball gown, accompanied by Austin and Luke, both in suits, and Cecilia in a pink party dress with matching ribbons in her hair.

The picture seemed to suggest a perfect family, when, in reality, it masked cracks that had long since started to appear.

The court heard all three children had been born following IVF treatment.

After giving birth to the twins, Riggi insisted on sleeping with them and threw her husband out of the marital bed. By the time Cecilia was conceived, the couple had stopped having sex, but Riggi insisted a previously frozen embryo be implanted. While she was pregnant in June 2004, they relocated from Lowestoft, in England, to the Netherlands, because of Mr Riggi's work as a petroleum engineer with Shell.

However, she could not settle, blaming the standard of antenatal care available, and moved back to the UK. Mr Riggi continued to live and work in the Netherlands, going home at weekends.

After Cecilia was born, the Netherlands became the setting for the couple's increasingly frequent flashpoints. On one occasion, in the summer of 2006, the court heard police were called to an argument and found Mr Riggi locked in a room. He had a broken foot and was in plaster.

Riggi's anger at her husband was fuelled by five unsuccessful attempts to get pregnant again, each with previously frozen embryos. The court heard Riggi blamed her husband, saying he had "stressed and upset" her.

In October 2006, 17 years after they married in California, the pair split. Mr Riggi moved to Aberdeen and Riggi stayed in the Netherlands with the children.

In February 2007, Riggi and the children moved to Scotland and into Mosslea Cottage, in Aberdeenshire, which Shell had provided for Mr Riggi.He moved into a rented flat.

Friends who knew her then described Riggi as "a loving mum, absolutely doting".

One said: "She always seemed very sociable to me. She would always come to every event we organised, we were always taking the children to the aquarium and places like that."

But, as the couple's relationship deteriorated, Riggi became increasingly fearful her children would be taken away.

On 2 August, 2010, she told Mr Riggi: "Say goodbye then." He would not see his children alive again.