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April Jones murder case: Mark Bridger's sleepover offer to girl April Jones murder case: Mark Bridger's 'sleepover offer' to girl
(35 minutes later)
Video evidence from a girl telling how a man accused of April Jones's murder asked her to a sleepover on the day she went missing has been played to a jury at Mold Crown Court. A jury has seen video evidence of a girl telling police she was asked to a sleepover by the man accused of murdering five-year-old April Jones.
Mark Bridger, 47, of Ceinws, Powys, denies abducting and murdering five-year-old April from nearby Machynlleth. The Mold Crown Court trial of Mark Bridger, 47, of Ceinws, Powys was shown the police interview with the girl.
In the recorded police interview, the girl aged 10 told how Mr Bridger asked her for a sleepover with his daughter but no arrangements were made. She said Mr Bridger asked her to a sleepover with his daughter on the day April disappeared from Machynlleth, but no arrangements were made.
April went missing on 1 October 2012. He denies abducting and murdering April, who went missing on 1 October.
April had been playing with a friend near her home on the Bryn-Y-Gog estate.
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 defendant told police during interviews he accidentally hit April with his vehicle and "panicked", the jury has heard.The defendant told police during interviews he accidentally hit April with his vehicle and "panicked", the jury has heard.
The court has been told he claims he placed her body in his car and drove around but cannot recall what happened after that.The court has been told he claims he placed her body in his car and drove around but cannot recall what happened after that.
On Thursday, the jury were played a recorded police interview made three days after April went missing.On Thursday, the jury were played a recorded police interview made three days after April went missing.
In it the girl told how she had been out playing with her friend.In it the girl told how she had been out playing with her friend.
She said: "I saw Mark in his car and he offered me to have a sleepover with his daughter at his house."She said: "I saw Mark in his car and he offered me to have a sleepover with his daughter at his house."
Describing the incident further, she said: "He asked me if I could go and have a sleepover with his daughter."Describing the incident further, she said: "He asked me if I could go and have a sleepover with his daughter."
Talking to her
She added: "He parked up and spoke to me."She added: "He parked up and spoke to me."
She said Mr Bridger "got his window down" and started talking to her.She said Mr Bridger "got his window down" and started talking to her.
"I have seen him a couple of times...he's been very nice to me and said hi, how am I doing," she said."I have seen him a couple of times...he's been very nice to me and said hi, how am I doing," she said.
She described his car as a left hand vehicle. Asked how she knew it was a Land Rover, she said she had "seen it many times and it's got the Land Rover badge on it".She described his car as a left hand vehicle. Asked how she knew it was a Land Rover, she said she had "seen it many times and it's got the Land Rover badge on it".
She said it was a "bit odd" that he offered her a sleepover, but said she answered "that'll be great". No firm arrangements were made. Mr Bridger then left the estate after the conversation, she said.She said it was a "bit odd" that he offered her a sleepover, but said she answered "that'll be great". No firm arrangements were made. Mr Bridger then left the estate after the conversation, she said.
On Wednesday, in a recorded interview, an eight-year-old girl described how she was playing when the defendant stopped his vehicle and began talking to her friend. The girl said she saw Mr Bridger "five or 10 minutes later" near an area where she knew April played on her bike.
She described how Mr Bridger asked her friend if she wanted a sleepover at his daughter's house but eventually drove off. She said she saw him in his car "lying down with a newspaper on his lap with a walkie talkie in his hand".
The court was also played the 999 call from April's mother reporting her daughter's disappearance. She said he got up and saw her and she smiled at him.
Asked about the handheld receiver, she said: "He was speaking through it."
She told how she had earlier seen April and her friend playing nearby. "They were just playing on their bikes," she said.
Later she said: "He (Mark Bridger) was acting really quite odd."
She said she cycled home, had her dinner, then went back to see if he was still there and he was not.
On Wednesday, the court was played the 999 call from April's mother reporting her daughter's disappearance.
Coral Jones told the operator her daughter had been kidnapped.Coral Jones told the operator her daughter had been kidnapped.
She had to leave the court while the 999 call was played after breaking down in tears.She had to leave the court while the 999 call was played after breaking down in tears.
'Complex relationships''Complex relationships'
The head teacher of April's school Ysgol Gynradd Machynlleth gave evidence saying the defendant had behaved normally at a parents' evening on the night she disappeared.The head teacher of April's school Ysgol Gynradd Machynlleth gave evidence saying the defendant had behaved normally at a parents' evening on the night she disappeared.
Gwenfair 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".Gwenfair 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 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.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.
April's disappearance sparked the biggest police search in UK history.April's disappearance sparked the biggest police search in UK history.
She has never been found.She has never been found.
The defendant also denies intending to pervert the course of justice.The defendant also denies intending to pervert the course of justice.
The case continues.The case continues.