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| April Jones trial: 'strong evidence' of human bone fragments in fireplace | April Jones trial: 'strong evidence' of human bone fragments in fireplace |
| (8 days later) | |
| Experts found strong evidence of burnt human skull remains at the home of the man accused of murdering April Jones, a jury has heard. | Experts found strong evidence of burnt human skull remains at the home of the man accused of murdering April Jones, a jury has heard. |
| An anthropologist told the trial of Mark Bridger that tiny bone fragments were recovered from the fireplace in his living room, but they had been so badly burned that it was impossible to conduct a DNA test. | An anthropologist told the trial of Mark Bridger that tiny bone fragments were recovered from the fireplace in his living room, but they had been so badly burned that it was impossible to conduct a DNA test. |
| Bridger, 47, denies abducting and murdering five-year-old April, who disappeared last October while playing near her home in Machynlleth, mid-Wales. | Bridger, 47, denies abducting and murdering five-year-old April, who disappeared last October while playing near her home in Machynlleth, mid-Wales. |
| On the final day of the prosecution case, the jury at Mold crown court heard from Dr Julie Roberts, a forensic anthropologist specialising in burnt skeletal remains. | On the final day of the prosecution case, the jury at Mold crown court heard from Dr Julie Roberts, a forensic anthropologist specialising in burnt skeletal remains. |
| Roberts said she studied five bone fragments found in the debris of a log-burning fireplace at Mount Pleasant, Bridger's rented cottage in Ceinws, Powys. | Roberts said she studied five bone fragments found in the debris of a log-burning fireplace at Mount Pleasant, Bridger's rented cottage in Ceinws, Powys. |
| "There is strong evidence to support the view that three fragments are human bone and very strong evidence to support the view they are burnt bone," she said. | "There is strong evidence to support the view that three fragments are human bone and very strong evidence to support the view they are burnt bone," she said. |
| A fourth fragment was "more likely to be human than non-human", and the nature of a fifth was not possible to determine. | A fourth fragment was "more likely to be human than non-human", and the nature of a fifth was not possible to determine. |
| One fragment, selected because of its size, was subjected to a DNA test, she said. "It wasn't possible to obtain a DNA profile because it was so badly burned. All the fragments are either grey or an off-white colour which indicates severe burning or exposure to high temperatures." | One fragment, selected because of its size, was subjected to a DNA test, she said. "It wasn't possible to obtain a DNA profile because it was so badly burned. All the fragments are either grey or an off-white colour which indicates severe burning or exposure to high temperatures." |
| Another bone fragment, studied under a microscope, had features similar to the skull of a child aged between four and eight, the jury heard. | Another bone fragment, studied under a microscope, had features similar to the skull of a child aged between four and eight, the jury heard. |
| Bridger, wearing a blue shirt, navy spotted tie and spectacles, looked at a television screen in the dock as the jury were shown images of the bone fragments. | Bridger, wearing a blue shirt, navy spotted tie and spectacles, looked at a television screen in the dock as the jury were shown images of the bone fragments. |
| Roberts said the bone had been transferred into the fire "in fragments, rather than the remains of a whole body or a head being put into the fire". | Roberts said the bone had been transferred into the fire "in fragments, rather than the remains of a whole body or a head being put into the fire". |
| Asked by Elwen Evans QC, for the prosecution, whether the transfer could have happened during cleaning of the living room, she said: "Yes, that is a possibility, but it's not the only interpretation of why the fragments are there." | Asked by Elwen Evans QC, for the prosecution, whether the transfer could have happened during cleaning of the living room, she said: "Yes, that is a possibility, but it's not the only interpretation of why the fragments are there." |
| April, who had cerebral palsy, vanished while playing on her bike with a friend near their homes on Machynlleth's Bryn-y-Gog estate on 1 October last year. Her body was never found despite the biggest search operation in British policing history. | April, who had cerebral palsy, vanished while playing on her bike with a friend near their homes on Machynlleth's Bryn-y-Gog estate on 1 October last year. Her body was never found despite the biggest search operation in British policing history. |
| The prosecution say Bridger snatched and murdered the schoolgirl in a "sexually motivated" attack. The trial continues. | The prosecution say Bridger snatched and murdered the schoolgirl in a "sexually motivated" attack. The trial continues. |
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