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| April Jones murder case: Evidence from young friend due | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A recording of a police interview given by a girl who was playing with April Jones before she went missing is being shown in the trial of a man accused of murdering the five-year-old. | |
| Mark Bridger, 47, of Ceinws, denies abducting and murdering April, who went missing near her home in Machynlleth, Powys, on 1 October 2012. | |
| April has never been found. | |
| The jury at Mold Crown Court saw the interview with the girl aged seven. She is due to give evidence by video link. | |
| The girl is not in court but can be seen on two screens via video link from Aberystwyth. She has a teddy bear on the desk in front of her. | |
| As the day's proceedings got under way the judge, Mr Justice John Griffith Williams, reassured the girl before asking her: "Can you remember some months ago, going to Newtown and being interviewed by a police officer?" | |
| "Yes," she replied. | |
| The judge said: "What we're going to do is, we're going to watch that film and you are going to watch it as well. It's rather long and so we'll be taking a lot of breaks, just to help you." | |
| The jury has started watching the interview but will take regular breaks because of the age of the witness. | |
| The recorded interview hears the police officer trying to establish if the girl knows the importance of telling the truth. | |
| At one point, the girl leans across to a nearby table and takes some crisps. | |
| Mr Bridger is staring up at the screen on the wall to his left. There are three security guards in the dock with him. | |
| Last moments | |
| On Friday, the jury heard about April's parents' last moments with her. | |
| A statement from her mother read out in court said she had been allowed out to play after "a little bit of a tantrum". | A statement from her mother read out in court said she had been allowed out to play after "a little bit of a tantrum". |
| Coral Jones said that after 20 minutes it was getting dark and cold so she wanted her daughter to come back into the house. | Coral Jones said that after 20 minutes it was getting dark and cold so she wanted her daughter to come back into the house. |
| She sent April's brother to look for her and he came home in a "hysterical state" saying she had been seen getting into a car with a man. | She sent April's brother to look for her and he came home in a "hysterical state" saying she had been seen getting into a car with a man. |
| Mrs Jones immediately called police before she and her husband Paul searched the Bryn-Y-Gog estate, where they live. | Mrs Jones immediately called police before she and her husband Paul searched the Bryn-Y-Gog estate, where they live. |
| The court heard written evidence from April's father who said he felt "so helpless" on the night his daughter went missing. | The court heard written evidence from April's father who said he felt "so helpless" on the night his daughter went missing. |
| He had searched for April before coming home and "paced up and down waiting for news for about 24 hours". | He had searched for April before coming home and "paced up and down waiting for news for about 24 hours". |
| The jury also saw the last images of April before her disappearance when CCTV footage was shown of her visiting the town's leisure centre. | The jury also saw the last images of April before her disappearance when CCTV footage was shown of her visiting the town's leisure centre. |
| On Thursday, the jury had travelled to Machynlleth and saw key locations relating to the trial, including Mr Bridger's home near the town. | On Thursday, the jury had travelled to Machynlleth and saw key locations relating to the trial, including Mr Bridger's home near the town. |
| Prosecutors have told the court that the defendant killed April in a sexually motivated attack and traces of her blood were found at his cottage. | Prosecutors have told the court that the defendant killed April in a sexually motivated attack and traces of her blood were found at his cottage. |
| Prosecuting counsel Elwen Evans QC said the defendant burned evidence in his fire and used detergent as part of an "extensive clean-up". | Prosecuting counsel Elwen Evans QC said the defendant burned evidence in his fire and used detergent as part of an "extensive clean-up". |
| But blood stains found within the cottage matched the DNA of the five-year-old, she said. | But blood stains found within the cottage matched the DNA of the five-year-old, she said. |
| The defendant told police during interviews he accidentally hit April with his car and "panicked," the jury was told. | The defendant told police during interviews he accidentally hit April with his car and "panicked," the jury was told. |
| The accused man also denies intending to pervert the course of justice. | The accused man also denies intending to pervert the course of justice. |