Briton accused of killing wife and daughter breaks down as court is shown footage of their bodies

He covered his eyes as a police video showing his wife Rachel, 27, and nine-month-old daughter Lillian was played in  court.

As he looked back at the screen his face crumpled and tears ran down his face.

Tearful: Neil Entwistle on Thursday during his trial for the first-degree murder of his wife, Rachel, and infant daughter, Lillian

His lawyer Stephanie Page tried to comfort him by touching  his arm, but  Entwistle, 29, wept throughout the 20-minute film.

The only sound in the packed courtroom came from the public gallery where his  mother Yvonne sobbed on her husband's shoulder.

Clifford Entwistle also wiped away tears as they watched the agony on their son's face.

The emotionally charged evidence came on the fourth day  of Entwistle's murder  trial in Woburn, Massachusetts.

Police Sgt Mary Ritchie told the court she had videotaped the crime scene.

Filmed the horror: Sergeant Mary Ritchie gives evidence, with a box containing the revolver used to kill Rachel Entwistle and her daughter Lillian

The film was not allowed to be shown in open court and was only viewed by the  jury, lawyers and Entwistle.

Entwistle and his legal team moved from their desk to  watch the colour film  which was taken in the hours after Rachel and Lillian had  been found dead in  their rented home in Hopkinton, Massachusetts.

Before the film was screened the judge Diane Kottmyer warned the jury they  were going to see the bodies of the victims.

Kottmyer told the jury some would find the evidence 'upsetting and distressing'.

The court had previously been told music was on in Lillian's room when the bodies were found.

As the film began the faint strains of a classical tune could be heard.

Entwistle appeared calm and composed as he watched the first few minutes of  the footage.

It began with a camera tracing the route taken by police as they entered the  house.

But as the camera entered the master bedroom - where the  bodies were found -  Entwistle suddenly closed his eyes and began crying.

An evidence photograph of the bed where Rachel Entwistle and her daughter Lillian were found dead

He placed a hand over his mouth to stifle his sobs and at  times closed his eyes, apparently unable to watch the screen.

It is believed to be the first time he has seen images of his murdered  wife and daughter since their deaths on January 20th 2006. Their gunshot wounds were not visible.

Throughout the film he would break down in tears and cover his eyes with a hand.

His mother  buried her head in her husband's  shoulder, occasionally looking up to see her son.

Neil Entwistle in court

Her younger son Russell also wept. On the other side of  the public gallery Rachel's parents Joe and Priscilla showed no emotion.

The jury watched the film with no outward sign of emotion.

Sgt Ritchie was among several Massachusetts state police officers called to the murder scene after the bodies were discovered on January 22nd.

Earlier, she had held up the murder weapon, a .22 calibre Colt revolver, for the jury to see.

Entwistle has denied killing his wife and daughter.

Prosecutors claim he was sex obsessed and mired in debt when he shot his family with a gun stolen from his father-in-law's  home.

Rachel was shot in the head and Lillian in the abdomen. Entwistle claimed he found the bodies and was so distraught he returned to the UK but failed to  call police or tell anyone about the murders.

The trial continues.