Clutching a pink balloon after a trip to McDonald's and buying sweets, the children 'murdered by their father' hours later

This is the last picture of the two children alleged to have been murdered by their British father following a bitter custody battle.

The boy and girl were caught on CCTV clutching balloons and waiting patiently as they were bought sweets  in a French bakery.

With them was their father, Julian Stevenson, who appeared relaxed as he ordered a baguette, casually dressed in flip-flops, camouflage Bermuda shorts and a light sweater.

Julian Stevenson, accused of killing his two children in Lyon, France, seen on CCTV footage taking the children, Mathew, 10, and Carla, 5, to the bakers to buy sweets hours before their deaths

They had been dropped of with Stevenson at the former family home on Friday evening - the first time he had been allowed unsupervised access in two years because of a bitter custody battle

Stevenson was arrested after the children's bodies were found in the apartment, their throats slit. Yesterday he appeared before a judge, accused of their murder

The 47-year-old, originally from Cheltenham, even waved goodbye to staff as his children followed him out of the store in a suburb of Lyon shortly after 12.30pm on Saturday.

Hours later, Mathew, ten, and Carla, five, were dead.

They had been dropped of with Stevenson at the former family home on Friday evening – the first time he had been allowed unsupervised access in two years because of a bitter custody battle with his French ex-wife Stephanie.

She found Stevenson, a heavy drinker with a history of violent assaults against her, looking ‘panicked and angry’ on the stairs to the apartment when she went to pick up the children at about 5pm on Saturday.

Stevenson was arrested after the children’s bodies were found in the apartment, their throats slit.Yesterday he appeared before a judge, accused of their murder. 

Prosecutors said the unemployed former haulage firm manager had admitted carrying out the double killing in a fit of rage before fleeing on a pair of roller-skates.

But they said they were ‘not currently’ charging Stevenson with premeditated murder, suggesting that he may plead diminished responsibility.

The children, clutching balloons, can be seen outside the shop window arriving with their father

The children appear to be looking around the cake shop excitedly as their father walks behind them

Julian Stevenson appeared relaxed as he ordered a baguette, casually dressed in flip-flops, camouflage Bermuda shorts and a light sweater

The 47-year-old, originally from Cheltenham, even waved goodbye to staff as his children followed him out of the store in a suburb of Lyon

Last night, Stevenson was back in police custody following the four-hour hearing.

Earlier, a neighbour had told the Daily Mail: ‘He was at his wits’ end, I think he must have snapped.‘He complained of having lots of debts and no way to pay them.

‘He had to pay maintenance for the children but struggled to find the money. He used to work for a haulage company just down the road but he lost his job and he split up with his wife soon after.’ 

Christophe Drevet, 47, who runs the bakery Stevenson and his children visited on Saturday lunchtime, said: ‘They seemed happy. The children had balloons and he bought them sweets. There didn’t appear to be anything wrong. He also bought a baguette.

‘We see a lot of him here. He is friendly with my staff and always talks to the servers. ‘It was obvious he was a foreigner. He spoke French well, but with an accent, we used to joke that he must be from Canada.

The bakery in Lyon where Julian Stevenson took his children hours before allegedly killing them

The block of flats where Julian Stevenson lived

‘I know hundreds of people, everybody comes here to buy their bread, but I remember Mr Stevenson because of his accent.

‘This tragic incident has shocked everybody. He always appeared to be a good dad. He has always come across as a nice man, but he changes when he drinks. He’s not very good with alcohol.’ 

Before visiting the bakery, Mr Stevenson had watched over Mathew and Carla as they played at a local McDonald’s.

A manager there said: ‘The father came here with his two children at about 11am, they stayed for about an hour. The children both got a balloon and seemed very happy.’ 

Stevenson, who had been living in France for ten years, was twice convicted of assaulting his ex-wife, in 2005 and 2010, reports said.

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