THE mum of a five-year-old girl who was driven to her death in a Worcestershire river has described the harrowing moments as she desperately tried to open the car door and get her children out.

It is alleged Chris Grady murdered daughter Gabby and attempted to kill son Ryan by driving into the river Avon at Evesham on Thursday, February 11, last year.

Gabby was trapped under water for two hours before being pulled out by police divers. She died in hospital three days later. Ryan was rescued by police officers who dived in to save him.

At Birmingham Crown Court, Grady’s former partner and the children’s mum Kim Smith, said she became concerned when Ryan and Gabby did not arrive at school on the Thursday morning.

She called Grady and he allegedly told her: “They are never going to school again.”

Miss Smith said in a further phone call Grady said: “Be outside your house in 10 seconds to say ta-ra to your kids.”

The previous evening Grady had warned her in another telephone conversation, “today will be a day you will never forget”.

She said: “I asked him, ‘what do you mean, are you going to hurt the kids?’ and he said, ‘no, you’ll just never forget this day’.”

Grady, dressed in a dark suit, sobbed and bowed his head as Miss Smith gave her evidence.

Miss Smith, aged 37, said she went outside her home in Abbots Walk, Evesham, and Grady pulled up in the car.

She said: “He was very angry. I asked him to be calm and said ‘what are you doing?’ “‘They are coming with me’ he said. “The last thing he shouted at me was ‘river’. His face was red and contorted – vile. I took the handle to try and open the door but he went too quickly.

“I believed he was going to drive my kids into the river.”

Miss Smith said Gabby was in the front passenger seat and Ryan was in the back.

The incident was witnessed by Miss Smith’s sister-in-law Jane Smith.

She told the court: “He (Grady) was in the car and Kim was saying, ‘please let me have my kids’. He said ‘no’. Then he said they are going to die and I thought, ‘oh my god, how could he say that in front of those poor kids’.”

Graham Reed QC, prosecuting, asked what affect the exchange had on Miss Smith.

Jane Smith said: “She was petrified, it seemed as though he had broken her in those few seconds, as if she knew what was coming. It was horrible, horrible.”

Miss Smith earlier told the court she met Grady in 2002 and moved in with him at her home in Portefields Road, Tolladine, Worcester.

Ryan was born the following the year and she gave birth to Gabby almost exactly one year later.

She described her relationship with Grady as “volatile”. Miss Smith said they moved from Worcester to Watford after Grady “got beat up” but the relationship broke down and she moved to Evesham with Ryan and Gabby.

Grady then moved to Evesham but the couple lived at different homes. He was granted permission to see the children on Wednesdays and every other weekend.

The court was told how Grady wanted more contact with the children but Miss Smith and her solicitor refused after Grady was evicted from his flat in High Street, Evesham.

Miss Smith said Grady was frustrated by this and in November 2009 he allegedly told her: “If I can’t have the kids you ain’t having them.”

Grady, of no fixed address, denies murder and attempted murder.

The trial continues.

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