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| April Jones had 'happy face' as 'she got into vehicle' | April Jones had '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 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 watched 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. |
| The court has also heard about the moment April's mother Coral Jones was told that her daughter had disappeared. | |
| Mrs Jones had called at the home of April's friend looking for her daughter. | |
| But the girl and April's brother came running back saying: "April's got into someone's van, April's been taken." | But the girl and April's brother came running back saying: "April's got into someone's van, April's been taken." |
| The girl's mother told the court: "She [Mrs Jones] just dropped to her knees. She was in a complete state of panic. She was just running back and forth. She didn't know what to do with herself." | The girl's mother told the court: "She [Mrs Jones] just dropped to her knees. She was in a complete state of panic. She was just running back and forth. She didn't know what to do with herself." |
| She described how Mrs Jones was "gasping for breath". | She described how Mrs Jones was "gasping for breath". |
| Earlier, the jury heard the girl's interview with a police officer made the day after April went missing, in which she said they were playing. | Earlier, the jury heard the girl's interview with a police officer made the day after April went missing, in which she said they 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. |
| 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." |
| 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 returned home where the alarm was raised. | She gave April's bike to her brother and they returned home where 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | She later confirmed she had described it as grey in colour, and had described it as a van. |
| The girl's mother, in her evidence, said her daughter had seen a picture of the blue Land Rover on the news on 2 October and said it was the vehicle she had seen. | |
| Later, Mr Kelly asked the girl if she saw the man bending down. She replied "no". | |
| He also asked: "Are you sure that you saw April talking to the man?" | He also asked: "Are you sure that you saw April talking to the man?" |
| Girl: "Yes, I'm sure I saw April talking to the man." | Girl: "Yes, I'm sure I saw April talking to the man." |
| The jury has previously been told that the defendant told police during interviews he accidentally hit April with his car and "panicked". | The jury has previously been told that the defendant told police during interviews he accidentally hit April with his car and "panicked". |
| Mr Kelly went on to ask the girl if she had seen April on the floor. She said she had not. | Mr Kelly went on to ask the girl if she had seen April on the floor. She said she had not. |
| She added: "She was talking but she was standing up when she was talking to the man." | She added: "She was talking but she was standing up when she was talking to the man." |
| Mr Kelly said: "When you say you saw her getting into the car I have to say you are wrong about that. | Mr Kelly said: "When you say you saw her getting into the car I have to say you are wrong about that. |
| "You saw her being carried into the car by the man who put her into the front seat." | "You saw her being carried into the car by the man who put her into the front seat." |
| Later, the court saw a recorded interview from April's older brother, who was told to fetch his sister who was out playing. | |
| He said he went looking for her but could not find her. | |
| He ran to tell his mother and she phoned police. | |
| 'Hysterical state' | '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. | 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. |
| The trial has now finished for the day and resumes on Wednesday. | |
| 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. |
| Mr Bridger also denies intending to pervert the course of justice. | Mr Bridger also denies intending to pervert the course of justice. |
| The case continues. | The case continues. |