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| April Jones case: Mother's 999 call played to jury | April Jones case: Mother's 999 call played to jury |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| The 999 call reporting April Jones's disappearance has been played in the trial of the man accused of abducting and murdering the five-year-old. | The 999 call reporting April Jones's disappearance has been played in the trial of the man accused of abducting and murdering the five-year-old. |
| April's mother told the operator her daughter had been kidnapped. | April's mother told the operator her daughter had been kidnapped. |
| Coral Jones had to leave Mold Crown Court while the 999 call was played after breaking down in tears. | Coral Jones had to leave Mold Crown Court while the 999 call was played after breaking down in tears. |
| April went missing from Machynlleth, Powys, on the evening of 1 October 2012. Mark Bridger, 47, of nearby Ceinws, denies all the charges. | April went missing from Machynlleth, Powys, on the evening of 1 October 2012. Mark Bridger, 47, of nearby Ceinws, denies all the charges. |
| She went missing from near her home while playing with a friend and has never been found. | She went missing from near her home while playing with a friend and has never been found. |
| Prosecutors have told the court that Mr Bridger killed April in a sexually motivated attack and traces of her blood were found at his cottage. | Prosecutors have told the court that Mr Bridger killed April in a sexually motivated attack and traces of her blood were found at his cottage. |
| The jury has previously heard that Mr Bridger told police during interviews he accidentally hit April with his vehicle and "panicked". | The jury has previously heard that Mr Bridger told police during interviews he accidentally hit April with his vehicle and "panicked". |
| On Wednesday, the jury was played the 999 call reporting April's disappearance. | On Wednesday, the jury was played the 999 call reporting April's disappearance. |
| During it, the operator could not hear properly at first. Mrs Jones then passed the phone to her friend Valerie Jones, who told the operator "she's gone off in a car with somebody". She described it as a "big grey car". | During it, the operator could not hear properly at first. Mrs Jones then passed the phone to her friend Valerie Jones, who told the operator "she's gone off in a car with somebody". She described it as a "big grey car". |
| The jury heard more of the conversation between the operator and Ms Valerie Jones. | The jury heard more of the conversation between the operator and Ms Valerie Jones. |
| 'Come home please' | 'Come home please' |
| During the call, April's mother could be heard struggling to breathe. | During the call, April's mother could be heard struggling to breathe. |
| A voice could be heard in the background saying: "Come home, somebody's kidnapped April, just come home please." | A voice could be heard in the background saying: "Come home, somebody's kidnapped April, just come home please." |
| There was a long period of time during the call when the line was open but nobody was talking to the operator. Sobbing could be heard in the background. | There was a long period of time during the call when the line was open but nobody was talking to the operator. Sobbing could be heard in the background. |
| Coral Jones, who was sitting in the public gallery, wiped her eyes as the call was played before leaving and sitting outside. | Coral Jones, who was sitting in the public gallery, wiped her eyes as the call was played before leaving and sitting outside. |
| On Wednesday morning, the jury also heard written evidence from Valerie Jones, who was at Coral Jones's home at the time of April's disappearance. | On Wednesday morning, the jury also heard written evidence from Valerie Jones, who was at Coral Jones's home at the time of April's disappearance. |
| In her evidence she said she remembered April's brother coming home and "it was immediately obvious he was upset". | In her evidence she said she remembered April's brother coming home and "it was immediately obvious he was upset". |
| He was struggling to get his words out, she said. | He was struggling to get his words out, she said. |
| Ms Jones described in her evidence how Coral Jones went running out of the front door and looked "distraught". | Ms Jones described in her evidence how Coral Jones went running out of the front door and looked "distraught". |
| "She shouted 'phone the police, somebody has kidnapped April'." | "She shouted 'phone the police, somebody has kidnapped April'." |
| The court later heard from the first police officer on the scene after the 999 call. | The court later heard from the first police officer on the scene after the 999 call. |
| PC Fiona Evans was in a marked police car when she received a call at about 19:30 on 1 October. | PC Fiona Evans was in a marked police car when she received a call at about 19:30 on 1 October. |
| She said: "I was called to a report of a five-year-old child who had been kidnapped... and she had been taken in a large grey car." | She said: "I was called to a report of a five-year-old child who had been kidnapped... and she had been taken in a large grey car." |
| She put on her blue lights but slowed down slightly during part of the journey as it was getting dark and she wanted to keep an eye out for grey or large vehicles, the court heard. | She put on her blue lights but slowed down slightly during part of the journey as it was getting dark and she wanted to keep an eye out for grey or large vehicles, the court heard. |
| When she arrived at the Bryn-Y-Gog estate where April lived at about 19:37 she saw the girl's brother "waving his arms and pointing" and trying to get her attention. | When she arrived at the Bryn-Y-Gog estate where April lived at about 19:37 she saw the girl's brother "waving his arms and pointing" and trying to get her attention. |
| She described how April's mother was "clearly distressed", was pacing and saying "she's been taken, she's been taken". | She described how April's mother was "clearly distressed", was pacing and saying "she's been taken, she's been taken". |
| PC Evans told how she spoke to the friend April had been playing with and went with the child to the scene where April was last seen. | PC Evans told how she spoke to the friend April had been playing with and went with the child to the scene where April was last seen. |
| In evidence, she said: "Obviously I needed to get as much information as I could but at the same time I didn't want to upset her or frighten her." | In evidence, she said: "Obviously I needed to get as much information as I could but at the same time I didn't want to upset her or frighten her." |
| She said she tried to relax as she was speaking to the girl. | She said she tried to relax as she was speaking to the girl. |
| She recalled how she told the girl: "We need to find April, do you know where she is? She said 'she's gone in a van, a grey van'." | She recalled how she told the girl: "We need to find April, do you know where she is? She said 'she's gone in a van, a grey van'." |
| PC Evans told how the girl said April had gone with a man. | PC Evans told how the girl said April had gone with a man. |
| She added: "I asked did April know this man? She replied 'I don't know, I think so'." | She added: "I asked did April know this man? She replied 'I don't know, I think so'." |
| 'I just watched' | 'I just watched' |
| PC Evans said she interviewed April's friend for three quarters of an hour at 20:15. | PC Evans said she interviewed April's friend for three quarters of an hour at 20:15. |
| According to the notes made during the interview, the girl said: "I was with April... she stayed by the garages. I went back and I saw April by the van behind the BT van." | According to the notes made during the interview, the girl said: "I was with April... she stayed by the garages. I went back and I saw April by the van behind the BT van." |
| She went on: "I saw a man get out of the van and April got in the driver's door and I saw her get in the back of the van." | She went on: "I saw a man get out of the van and April got in the driver's door and I saw her get in the back of the van." |
| She said she "couldn't see her when she was sat down... I didn't say anything, I just watched". | She said she "couldn't see her when she was sat down... I didn't say anything, I just watched". |
| "I thought she would come back," she added. | "I thought she would come back," she added. |
| Asked if she saw anyone else, she said "only the man waiting in front of the van". | Asked if she saw anyone else, she said "only the man waiting in front of the van". |
| Later on Wednesday, the head teacher of Ysgol Gynradd Machynlleth Gwenfair Glyn, who gave evidence in Welsh which was translated through an interpreter, said April was a pupil in the Welsh stream of the school. | Later on Wednesday, the head teacher of Ysgol Gynradd Machynlleth Gwenfair Glyn, who gave evidence in Welsh which was translated through an interpreter, said April was a pupil in the Welsh stream of the school. |
| She told of how she had spoken to the defendant at a parents' evening on 1 October, the day April went missing, and he had behaved normally. | She told of how she had spoken to the defendant at a parents' evening on 1 October, the day April went missing, and he had behaved normally. |
| Ms Glyn said Mr Bridger "had a history of relationships with young mothers" and described how she saw him talking to a secondary school pupil, adding there were "complex relationships between a number of these families". | Ms Glyn said Mr Bridger "had a history of relationships with young mothers" and described how she saw him talking to a secondary school pupil, adding there were "complex relationships between a number of these families". |
| She said she had found it strange that an adult would be talking to a secondary school pupil. | She said she had found it strange that an adult would be talking to a secondary school pupil. |
| Describing the defendant, she said: "Mr Bridger is always confident and courteous at all times. I'm not sure what the word is in Welsh, but charming." | Describing the defendant, she said: "Mr Bridger is always confident and courteous at all times. I'm not sure what the word is in Welsh, but charming." |
| She said that Mr Bridger had provided her with his new address. The following day when she heard his name had become connected to April's disappearance, Mrs Glyn alerted police to tell them where he was now living. | |
| Wanted a sleepover | Wanted a sleepover |
| The jury also watched a recorded interview with an eight-year-old girl who described how she was playing with a friend on their bikes when the defendant stopped his vehicle and began talking to her friend. | The jury also watched a recorded interview with an eight-year-old girl who described how she was playing with a friend on their bikes when the defendant stopped his vehicle and began talking to her friend. |
| She described how he asked her friend if she wanted a sleepover at his daughter's house and she responded "maybe". | She described how he asked her friend if she wanted a sleepover at his daughter's house and she responded "maybe". |
| The girl being interviewed said he "put his engine on... then he drove off". | The girl being interviewed said he "put his engine on... then he drove off". |
| In the interview, she said she believed the incident happened at about 17:30, adding: "I think it was the day April went." | In the interview, she said she believed the incident happened at about 17:30, adding: "I think it was the day April went." |
| The jury also heard evidence from Keith Standing who said he was refuelling his car at Tuffins Garage in Machynlleth at about 19:15 on 1 October when he saw Mr Bridger pass in his Land Rover. | The jury also heard evidence from Keith Standing who said he was refuelling his car at Tuffins Garage in Machynlleth at about 19:15 on 1 October when he saw Mr Bridger pass in his Land Rover. |
| Cross-examined by defence counsel Brendan Kelly, he said he did not see anyone else in the vehicle. | Cross-examined by defence counsel Brendan Kelly, he said he did not see anyone else in the vehicle. |
| The hearing has now adjourned for the day. | The hearing has now adjourned for the day. |
| April's disappearance sparked the biggest police search in UK history. | April's disappearance sparked the biggest police search in UK history. |
| 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. |