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April Jones murder case: 'Happy face' as she got into vehicle | |
(35 minutes later) | |
A friend of April Jones who was playing with the five-year-old before she went missing told police April had a "happy face" as she got into a vehicle. | |
April disappeared near her home in Machynlleth, Powys, on 1 October, 2012. She has never been found. | |
The trial at Mold Crown Court of Mark Bridger, 47, who denies her abduction and murder, has been hearing a police interview with April's friend. | |
The seven-year-old girl said in the interview the vehicle "looks familiar". | |
The girl said: "Me and her [April] were playing." | |
She added that there was a "man by his van" and she described how she saw April "by the Land Rover van". | |
"I saw her by the person that was waiting by the van," she said. | |
Asked if she had seen the Land Rover there before, she said: "It looks familiar it does, because I have seen [two other people] in it before." | |
Later in the interview, she said: "She [April] didn't say that she was going to go in it." | |
She went on to say: "The man didn't take her in the van. She got in the van having a happy face she was." | |
The girl is not in court but can be seen on two screens via video link from Aberystwyth. She had a teddy bear on the desk in front of her. | |
Recorded interview | |
She is due to give evidence later. | |
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?" | 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. | "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 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 regular breaks are expected because of the age of the witness. | |
The recorded interview heard the police officer trying to establish if the girl knew the importance of telling the truth. | |
Mr Bridger stared up at the screen on the wall to his left. There were three security guards in the dock with him. | |
Last moments | Last moments |
April's parents, Coral and Paul, are in court. | |
On Friday, the jury heard about her 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 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. |
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. |
The case continues. |