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April Jones murder case: 'Happy face' as she got into vehicle | April Jones murder case: 'Happy face' as she got into vehicle |
(35 minutes later) | |
A friend who was playing with five-year-old April Jones before she went missing told police she had a "happy face" as she got into a vehicle. | A friend who was playing with five-year-old April Jones before she went missing told police she 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. | April disappeared near her home in Machynlleth, Powys, on 1 October, 2012. She has never been found. |
The jury at the Mold Crown Court trial of Mark Bridger, 47, who denies her abduction and murder, has been played a police interview with April's friend. | The jury at the Mold Crown Court trial of Mark Bridger, 47, who denies her abduction and murder, has been played a police interview with April's friend. |
The seven-year-old girl said a man got out of a Land Rover then April got in. | The seven-year-old girl said a man got out of a Land Rover then April got in. |
In the interview with a police officer made the day after April went missing, the girl said: "Me and her [April] were playing." | In the interview with a police officer made the day after April went missing, the girl said: "Me and her [April] were playing." |
She said there was a "man by his van" and she described how she saw April "by the Land Rover van". | She said 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. | "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 because I have seen [two other people] in it before." | Asked if she had seen the Land Rover there before, she said: "It looks familiar because I have seen [two other people] in it before." |
She went on to say: "The man didn't take her in the van. She got in the van having a happy face." | She went on to say: "The man didn't take her in the van. She got in the van having a happy face." |
She said the wheels of the vehicle "were quite big" and remembered them being muddy. | |
Asked who she saw in the Land Rover, she said: "A man." | Asked who she saw in the Land Rover, she said: "A man." |
"The man got out of the van. He was waiting outside the van for someone... I don't know why she wanted to go because her mum and dad told her not to go into cars like that," she said. | "The man got out of the van. He was waiting outside the van for someone... I don't know why she wanted to go because her mum and dad told her not to go into cars like that," she said. |
She added: "She got in the car. She wasn't crying. She was happy. She got in the back of the van and it just drove off the same way it came." | She added: "She got in the car. She wasn't crying. She was happy. She got in the back of the van and it just drove off the same way it came." |
She said she did not hear any talking because "I was too far away to hear it". | She said she did not hear any talking because "I was too far away to hear it". |
The friend said April got into the vehicle through the driver's door because the two back doors were locked and "they were broken". | The friend said April got into the vehicle through the driver's door because the two back doors were locked and "they were broken". |
She said April's brother arrived a few minutes later and said it was time for her to go home. | She said April's brother arrived a few minutes later and said it was time for her to go home. |
She gave April's bike to her brother and they went back to their homes and the alarm was raised. | |
'Brown hair' | 'Brown hair' |
Describing the man, the girl said: "He had green or blue eyes, brown hair I think... I think he was wearing a jacket or a jumper... he was wearing some jeans and he was wearing some trainers..." | Describing the man, the girl said: "He had green or blue eyes, brown hair I think... I think he was wearing a jacket or a jumper... he was wearing some jeans and he was wearing some trainers..." |
Asked in more detail about the man's appearance, she said: "I think he had brown hair. I'm sure he had brown hair but I'm not sure about anything else." | Asked in more detail about the man's appearance, she said: "I think he had brown hair. I'm sure he had brown hair but I'm not sure about anything else." |
She said he was "definitely outside" the vehicle and was standing between the Land Rover and a BT van. | She said he was "definitely outside" the vehicle and was standing between the Land Rover and a BT van. |
The girl gave evidence via video link from Aberystwyth. Two screens in court showed her watching the proceedings. She had a teddy bear on the desk in front of her. | |
Later on Tuesday, defence counsel Brendan Kelly QC questioned the girl about the events of 1 October. | |
He asked the girl about whether she had a good view of the Land Rover when she saw it. | |
The girl replied she did but then agreed she only had a "little bit" of a view. | |
Later, referring to something she had said in her interview with police, Mr Kelly asked: "Were you unclear the night before about what happened, about the Land Rover?" | Later, referring to something she had said in her interview with police, Mr Kelly asked: "Were you unclear the night before about what happened, about the Land Rover?" |
Girl: "Yes I was. It took a long time for them to understand what I meant about what the Land Rover looked like." | Girl: "Yes I was. It took a long time for them to understand what I meant about what the Land Rover looked like." |
She later confirmed she had described it as grey in colour, and had described it as a van. | |
The girl was later shown a picture of her bicycle and looked surprised, saying it looked "wrecked" and dirty, prompting some laughter in court. | |
Mr Kelly said it was the scientists' fault, because they had tested the bike. | |
The jury has heard that April and the girl were playing with another friend before April's disappearance. | |
April and the girl giving evidence decided to take the other friend home because she had to go in for dinner. | |
"I was riding in front and I told her 'let's go home, it's getting dark'," the girl said. | |
Mr Kelly has questioned the girl about how far away she was when April was talking to the man. | |
She said: "I knew they were talking because I could see their mouths moving but I couldn't hear what they were saying." | |
She admitted she was too far away to see what he looked like. Asked how she knew about the colour of his eyes, she said: "I was guessing." | |
Mr Kelly asked: "Were you guessing about the colour of his hair as well?" | |
Girl: "No, I could see the colour of his hair, but not his eyes." | |
Asked if she had guessed about anything else, she said: "No." | |
'Hysterical state' | |
Mr Bridger watched the screen on the wall to his left during the hearing. There were three security guards in the dock with him. | |
April's parents, Coral and Paul, were in court on Tuesday. | April's parents, Coral and Paul, were in court on Tuesday. |
On Friday, the jury heard about her parents' last moments with her. | 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 later 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. | Coral Jones later 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. | Mrs Jones immediately called police before she and her husband Paul searched the Bryn-Y-Gog estate. |
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. |
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. |
April's disappearance sparked the biggest police search in UK history. | April's disappearance sparked the biggest police search in UK history. |
The case continues. | The case continues. |