He told a court in Crete: I do not accept the charge that I planned to kill my children.

Six-year-old Liam died from massive head injuries in front of his horrified nurse mum Natasha, 35.

But Hogan, 34, and daughter Mia, two, survived the 50ft fall with broken arms.

Now Natasha, who has since divorced Hogan, is reliving the nightmare as a key witness in his trial for murder which starts today in Crete.

He added, in a voice cracking with emotion: I did not plan it.

Natasha today described a threat her husband had made.

She told the court her husband said: If you are going to live in a house with the children I will burn it to the ground.

The court heard the couple dearly loved their children but their marriage was breaking down.

Natasha said: We loved our children so much but the marriage was not working.

"This had gone on for a long time.

She said at one point Hogan confronted her about his fear that she was thinking of leaving him.

Natasha said that on the third day of the trip, Hogan had tried to kiss her.

She told the court: When I moved away, he said, You are thinking, arent you?.

I said, Yes I am.

Natasha had earlier been quizzed about flirty emails she had swapped with an old schoolfriend in 2005.

She told how Hogan had discovered them and phoned her at work.

He had also found a Valentines card, she said.

There was a Valentines card. He wanted to know who this was from.

When I got home he was very upset. We talked about it for a few hours and I reassured him that all was ok.

She added: I think John was concerned but he believed my reply that there was no physical contact.

We had problems but we agreed to try for the sake of my children.

Over the next 12 months the marriage deteriorated, she said.

2006 was very stressful - I was working four days a week and John was working seven.

In an ITV interview tonight, Mrs Hogan tells Sir Trevor McDonald how she still sees Liam dying every minute of the day.

She adds: I dont know if Im going to erupt with anger when I see John. But I dont care about the trial outcome because his sentence is in his head.

Natasha and Hogan, from Bristol, had rowed in Crete during a make-or-break holiday to try and save their rocky marriage.

Recalling the moment before he leapt, she says: He had a crazed look.

"Next thing I turn around and no one is in the room.

"Theyve all gone.

Hogan has been held in an Athens jail for 16 months and has attempted to kill himself several times since his arrest.

He has been treated for clinical depression and his lawyers previously argued he was not mentally fit to stand trial.