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| Mark Bridger murder trial: court told April Jones was 'happy' to get into car | Mark Bridger murder trial: court told April Jones was 'happy' to get into car |
| (2 days later) | |
| April Jones's best friend claimed the five-year-old girl had a "happy face" when she climbed into a Land Rover moments before she was driven away by the man accused of her abduction and murder. | April Jones's best friend claimed the five-year-old girl had a "happy face" when she climbed into a Land Rover moments before she was driven away by the man accused of her abduction and murder. |
| In a video interview played to the jury hearing the case of Mark Bridger, the seven-year-old girl expressed surprise that April had got into the vehicle because her parents had warned her against doing such a thing. | In a video interview played to the jury hearing the case of Mark Bridger, the seven-year-old girl expressed surprise that April had got into the vehicle because her parents had warned her against doing such a thing. |
| Under live cross-examination by Bridger's barrister the little girl, who cannot be named, insisted she had not been mistaken when she described April speaking to a man and then getting into a vehicle. | Under live cross-examination by Bridger's barrister the little girl, who cannot be named, insisted she had not been mistaken when she described April speaking to a man and then getting into a vehicle. |
| At times clutching a teddy bear, the girl told the jury: "I'm sure I saw April talking to the man … the man didn't carry her." | At times clutching a teddy bear, the girl told the jury: "I'm sure I saw April talking to the man … the man didn't carry her." |
| The prosecution alleges that Bridger, a 47-year-old former slaughterman, abducted and murdered April before hiding or destroying her body. It claims his motive was sexual. | The prosecution alleges that Bridger, a 47-year-old former slaughterman, abducted and murdered April before hiding or destroying her body. It claims his motive was sexual. |
| Bridger, who denies the offences, claims he accidentally hit and killed April in his Land Rover, drove off with her body and cannot remember what he did with it. | Bridger, who denies the offences, claims he accidentally hit and killed April in his Land Rover, drove off with her body and cannot remember what he did with it. |
| At the start of the day the judge, Mr Justice Griffith-Williams, tried to put April's friend at ease by asking her about the teddy bear perched on a desk in front of her. The girl, who was appearing at Mold crown court via video link, said its name was "Minty" and agreed the bear would look after her. | At the start of the day the judge, Mr Justice Griffith-Williams, tried to put April's friend at ease by asking her about the teddy bear perched on a desk in front of her. The girl, who was appearing at Mold crown court via video link, said its name was "Minty" and agreed the bear would look after her. |
| She, along with the jury, watched a video of her interview at a police station less than 24 hours after April vanished from the mid Wales town of Machynlleth on the evening of 1 October last year. | She, along with the jury, watched a video of her interview at a police station less than 24 hours after April vanished from the mid Wales town of Machynlleth on the evening of 1 October last year. |
| During this interview the girl clung on to another cuddly toy, her rabbit Mr Bumble. April's friend described how the pair had been playing with a third little girl on the evening of the alleged abduction. They took the other girl home and her family said they could not come in as it was dinner time. | During this interview the girl clung on to another cuddly toy, her rabbit Mr Bumble. April's friend described how the pair had been playing with a third little girl on the evening of the alleged abduction. They took the other girl home and her family said they could not come in as it was dinner time. |
| The two friends went back outside and were playing on their bicycles on the Bryn-Y-Gog estate. "We were going to go home and it was getting dark," the girl said in her police interview. "I said, April come on. I looked around and I saw her by the Land Rover van. I saw her by the person who was waiting by the van." | The two friends went back outside and were playing on their bicycles on the Bryn-Y-Gog estate. "We were going to go home and it was getting dark," the girl said in her police interview. "I said, April come on. I looked around and I saw her by the Land Rover van. I saw her by the person who was waiting by the van." |
| The girl said the Land Rover seemed "quite familiar". She expressed surprise April got into the vehicle, saying her mother and father wouldn't have let her. But she added: "The man didn't take her in the van. She got in the van having a happy face. She wasn't upset." She was asked again about the moments before April vanished. She said the man appeared to be "waiting for someone". "I don't know who. I don't think it was April." | The girl said the Land Rover seemed "quite familiar". She expressed surprise April got into the vehicle, saying her mother and father wouldn't have let her. But she added: "The man didn't take her in the van. She got in the van having a happy face. She wasn't upset." She was asked again about the moments before April vanished. She said the man appeared to be "waiting for someone". "I don't know who. I don't think it was April." |
| But she continued: "I think April wanted to go. I don't know why. Her mum and dad told her not to get into [cars] like that. She got into the car. The man didn't put her in the car. She wasn't crying, she was happy." | But she continued: "I think April wanted to go. I don't know why. Her mum and dad told her not to get into [cars] like that. She got into the car. The man didn't put her in the car. She wasn't crying, she was happy." |
| The girl said April got into the front then clambered into the back. "It just drove off … I didn't know she was going to go in the van." She was asked to draw a picture of the vehicle. She said she was not good at drawing. She also said she was not good at remembering and had forgotten her PE kit that day. | The girl said April got into the front then clambered into the back. "It just drove off … I didn't know she was going to go in the van." She was asked to draw a picture of the vehicle. She said she was not good at drawing. She also said she was not good at remembering and had forgotten her PE kit that day. |
| The girl fiddled with her hair and sometimes hugged her bear as she was questioned by Bridger's barrister, Brendan Kelly QC. Kelly, who like all court officials was not wearing a wig or gown, asked if she had a good view of the Land Rover. She replied: "Yes, I did." | The girl fiddled with her hair and sometimes hugged her bear as she was questioned by Bridger's barrister, Brendan Kelly QC. Kelly, who like all court officials was not wearing a wig or gown, asked if she had a good view of the Land Rover. She replied: "Yes, I did." |
| When she was shown a picture of her bicycle she said it had been "wrecked" and was "all dirty" – she had always kept it clean. The girl was told that the forensic scientists who had examined it were to blame. | When she was shown a picture of her bicycle she said it had been "wrecked" and was "all dirty" – she had always kept it clean. The girl was told that the forensic scientists who had examined it were to blame. |
| The girl, who wore a T-shirt bearing the slogan Love, conceded her description at the time of the man's eyes as being green or blue was a guess. But asked: "Are you sure you saw April talking to the man?" she answered: "Yes, I'm sure." | The girl, who wore a T-shirt bearing the slogan Love, conceded her description at the time of the man's eyes as being green or blue was a guess. But asked: "Are you sure you saw April talking to the man?" she answered: "Yes, I'm sure." |
| Kelly suggested to the girl she was wrong. She had seen April being carried into the car, he said. The girl replied: "She climbed over to the back seat but the man didn't carry her." | Kelly suggested to the girl she was wrong. She had seen April being carried into the car, he said. The girl replied: "She climbed over to the back seat but the man didn't carry her." |
| Mr Justice Griffith-Williams asked her when she first saw the man. The girl said she had seen him standing by his Land Rover before she and April took their younger friend home. The judge told her she had helped the court a "great deal" and said: "Off you go." She hugged her teddy and said: "Thank you." | Mr Justice Griffith-Williams asked her when she first saw the man. The girl said she had seen him standing by his Land Rover before she and April took their younger friend home. The judge told her she had helped the court a "great deal" and said: "Off you go." She hugged her teddy and said: "Thank you." |
| The girl's mother told the court that her daughter had said that she had told April not to get into the vehicle but April had replied she would be "fine". | The girl's mother told the court that her daughter had said that she had told April not to get into the vehicle but April had replied she would be "fine". |
| She described the reaction of April's mother when she heard her child had gone. "She flopped to her knees," she said. "She was in a state of panic – running back and forward. She didn't know what to do with herself. She was gasping for breath." | She described the reaction of April's mother when she heard her child had gone. "She flopped to her knees," she said. "She was in a state of panic – running back and forward. She didn't know what to do with herself. She was gasping for breath." |
| Also played to the jury was a video of a police interview with April's 10-year-old brother, who cannot be named. He had been sent to fetch April in. "She wasn't there," he said. He raced back home on April's bicycle. "I told mum April had gone in a car, been kidnapped or something." | Also played to the jury was a video of a police interview with April's 10-year-old brother, who cannot be named. He had been sent to fetch April in. "She wasn't there," he said. He raced back home on April's bicycle. "I told mum April had gone in a car, been kidnapped or something." |
| Bridger denies abduction, murder and concealing, disposing of or destroying April's body. The trial continues. | Bridger denies abduction, murder and concealing, disposing of or destroying April's body. The trial continues. |
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