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| April Jones trial: 'No evidence of car collision' | April Jones trial: 'No evidence of car collision' |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| A forensics expert said there was no evidence the man accused of murdering five-year-old April Jones knocked her over in his Land Rover. | A forensics expert said there was no evidence the man accused of murdering five-year-old April Jones knocked her over in his Land Rover. |
| Mark Bridger, 47, of Ceinws, Powys, who denies murdering and abducting April, claims he accidentally ran her over. | Mark Bridger, 47, of Ceinws, Powys, who denies murdering and abducting April, claims he accidentally ran her over. |
| But Mold Crown Court heard there was no damage to his vehicle to support his claims. | But Mold Crown Court heard there was no damage to his vehicle to support his claims. |
| April went missing while playing near her home in Machynlleth on 1 October 2012 and has never been found. | April went missing while playing near her home in Machynlleth on 1 October 2012 and has never been found. |
| It sparked the largest police search in UK history. | It sparked the largest police search in UK history. |
| The prosecution claims Mr Bridger murdered April, who had mild cerebral palsy, in a sexually motivated attack. | The prosecution claims Mr Bridger murdered April, who had mild cerebral palsy, in a sexually motivated attack. |
| Mr Bridger told police during interviews he had hit her with his vehicle, the jury has heard. | Mr Bridger told police during interviews he had hit her with his vehicle, the jury has heard. |
| He claims he cannot remember what he did with her body because he was drunk. | He claims he cannot remember what he did with her body because he was drunk. |
| The jury has previously been told that April's blood was found in several locations around Mr Bridger's home. | The jury has previously been told that April's blood was found in several locations around Mr Bridger's home. |
| On Tuesday, the court heard from forensics scientist Roderick McKenzie Stewart, who examined Mr Bridger's Land Rover Discovery. | On Tuesday, the court heard from forensics scientist Roderick McKenzie Stewart, who examined Mr Bridger's Land Rover Discovery. |
| "I was looking for signs of recent damage which could indicate a collision with a person or another object such as a bicycle," he said. | "I was looking for signs of recent damage which could indicate a collision with a person or another object such as a bicycle," he said. |
| He said he carried out a "very thorough examination" and none of the damage on the vehicle was recent. | He said he carried out a "very thorough examination" and none of the damage on the vehicle was recent. |
| He also examined two bicycles and said there was no evidence either had been involved in a forceful collision with a vehicle. | He also examined two bicycles and said there was no evidence either had been involved in a forceful collision with a vehicle. |
| If the Land Rover had collided with a person or another vehicle, the witness said he would have seen "something there". | If the Land Rover had collided with a person or another vehicle, the witness said he would have seen "something there". |
| Mr Bridger's vehicle "weighs two tonnes, it's going to do a lot of damage", he said. | Mr Bridger's vehicle "weighs two tonnes, it's going to do a lot of damage", he said. |
| Cross examined by defence counsel Brendan Kelly QC, he said he "saw no fibres on any of the tyres". | Cross examined by defence counsel Brendan Kelly QC, he said he "saw no fibres on any of the tyres". |
| Mr Kelly asked whether fibres could be retained in the wheel if the vehicle had been driven in wet conditions for about 15 miles. | Mr Kelly asked whether fibres could be retained in the wheel if the vehicle had been driven in wet conditions for about 15 miles. |
| The forensics scientist said fibres could be trapped in certain areas and could remain there for a long time. | The forensics scientist said fibres could be trapped in certain areas and could remain there for a long time. |
| Mr Kelly questioned the thoroughness of the examination but the witness said he had been doing the job for a "very long time". | Mr Kelly questioned the thoroughness of the examination but the witness said he had been doing the job for a "very long time". |
| Serious collisions | Serious collisions |
| Mr Stewart said he would have expected to have found pieces of fabric embedded in the tyres or wheel arches if the car had gone over a child. | Mr Stewart said he would have expected to have found pieces of fabric embedded in the tyres or wheel arches if the car had gone over a child. |
| A police officer who specialises in investigating serious collisions said he also "could find no evidence of any obvious contact between a pedestrian and the vehicle". | A police officer who specialises in investigating serious collisions said he also "could find no evidence of any obvious contact between a pedestrian and the vehicle". |
| Mr Kelly said no checks were made for "tiny" fibres that would not be obvious to the naked eye. | Mr Kelly said no checks were made for "tiny" fibres that would not be obvious to the naked eye. |
| PC Gary Rees confirmed the tyres were not "taped" for fibres. | PC Gary Rees confirmed the tyres were not "taped" for fibres. |
| The court also heard evidence about what had been found during an examination of Mr Bridger's laptop. | The court also heard evidence about what had been found during an examination of Mr Bridger's laptop. |
| Mervyn Ray, manager of the hi-tech crime unit at Dyfed-Powys Police, said there was evidence of a lot of searching for "underage and sexual material" and there were folders which amounted to a "library" of material. | |
| Earlier on Tuesday, proceedings opened with the jury hearing evidence from Patricia Foley, a senior crime scene investigator with North Wales Police who examined Mr Bridger's home. | Earlier on Tuesday, proceedings opened with the jury hearing evidence from Patricia Foley, a senior crime scene investigator with North Wales Police who examined Mr Bridger's home. |
| She described how a chemical was used at the house to detect if blood was present. | She described how a chemical was used at the house to detect if blood was present. |
| Mr Bridger stared at the floor as the witness described blood being found on his carpet and in grout on floor tiles. | Mr Bridger stared at the floor as the witness described blood being found on his carpet and in grout on floor tiles. |
| Mr Kelly suggested the chemical used in the testing could also have reacted to cleaning products rather than blood. | Mr Kelly suggested the chemical used in the testing could also have reacted to cleaning products rather than blood. |
| But Ms Foley said she was satisfied the tests were consistent with blood being present. | But Ms Foley said she was satisfied the tests were consistent with blood being present. |
| The jury asked more about April's DNA match probability and the judge explained it was not like bookmakers' odds. | The jury asked more about April's DNA match probability and the judge explained it was not like bookmakers' odds. |
| He said "the chance of finding the same DNA profile from a person unrelated to April is one in a billion". | He said "the chance of finding the same DNA profile from a person unrelated to April is one in a billion". |
| It was accepted that it was April's blood, he added. | It was accepted that it was April's blood, he added. |
| The jury also heard from fingerprint experts who examined Mr Bridger's house and car. | The jury also heard from fingerprint experts who examined Mr Bridger's house and car. |
| Some of the fingerprints in the defendant's Land Rover were said to be consistent with children but none matched those taken by experts from April's school books and home. | Some of the fingerprints in the defendant's Land Rover were said to be consistent with children but none matched those taken by experts from April's school books and home. |
| Later, the court was told that Michael Keyte, a scenes of crime officer for Dyfed-Powys Police, did not examine the site of the alleged abduction on the Bryn-Y-Gog estate because of a misunderstanding. | |
| Mr Kelly then suggested the scene had not been examined at all. | Mr Kelly then suggested the scene had not been examined at all. |
| The trial has been adjourned until Wednesday morning. | The trial has been adjourned until Wednesday morning. |
| On Monday, the jury heard April's blood was found in the living room, hallway and bathroom of Mr Bridger's home. | On Monday, the jury heard April's blood was found in the living room, hallway and bathroom of Mr Bridger's home. |
| Evidence suggested she had been lying on the floor near the fireplace "for some period of time", the jury heard. | Evidence suggested she had been lying on the floor near the fireplace "for some period of time", the jury heard. |
| The evidence pointed to attempts being made to remove or clean up the blood, the court was told. | The evidence pointed to attempts being made to remove or clean up the blood, the court was told. |
| 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. |