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April Jones trial: Mark Bridger giving evidence April Jones trial: Mark Bridger giving evidence
(35 minutes later)
A man accused of murdering five-year-old April Jones appeared emotional as he started giving evidence in his defence at Mold Crown Court.A man accused of murdering five-year-old April Jones appeared emotional as he started giving evidence in his defence at Mold Crown Court.
Mark Bridger, 47, of Ceinws, Powys, denies abducting and murdering April, who went missing near her Machynlleth home on 1 October 2012.Mark Bridger, 47, of Ceinws, Powys, denies abducting and murdering April, who went missing near her Machynlleth home on 1 October 2012.
He claims he accidentally ran her over in his Land Rover and cannot remember what he did with her body because he was drunk and panicked.He claims he accidentally ran her over in his Land Rover and cannot remember what he did with her body because he was drunk and panicked.
The prosecution case has now concluded.The prosecution case has now concluded.
Mr Bridger has now been sworn in and has started giving evidence. Mr Bridger was sworn in and has started giving evidence.
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 prosecution claims the defendant murdered April after abducting her as she played near her home on the Bryn-Y-Gog estate.The prosecution claims the defendant murdered April after abducting her as she played near her home on the Bryn-Y-Gog estate.
On Wednesday, Mr Bridger spoke for the first time in court as he was sworn in.On Wednesday, Mr Bridger spoke for the first time in court as he was sworn in.
He stumbled over his words and he appeared emotional. He was told to speak loudly and clearly.He stumbled over his words and he appeared emotional. He was told to speak loudly and clearly.
One security guard sat immediately next to Mr Bridger, another at the entrance to the witness box.
His defence barrister, Brendan Kelly QC, said there would be a number of topics discussed, starting with Mr Bridger's background.His defence barrister, Brendan Kelly QC, said there would be a number of topics discussed, starting with Mr Bridger's background.
The defendant said he was born in Surrey and had an older sister and younger brother.The defendant said he was born in Surrey and had an older sister and younger brother.
He said he was in the fire service for less than a year and was asked why he left, responding: "I had personal problems, I had split up with my partner at the time... we had just had a baby." He said he was in the fire service in London for less than a year and was asked why he left, responding: "I had personal problems, I had split up with my partner at the time... we had just had a baby."
One security guard sat immediately next to Mr Bridger, another at the entrance to the witness box. He was aged about 20 when the boy was born and went on to explain how he had encountered personal problems and then moved to Wales.
On Tuesday, the court heard from bone analysis specialist Dr Julie Roberts who said bone fragments found in Mr Bridger's fireplace were from a human skull. He said he knew south Wales because his grandmother lived there but moved to north Wales.
She compared one of the five fragments with that of a skull belonging to a child aged about four to eight years old. "I had bought some camping equipment and survival equipment. I lived on the beach for a couple of months," he said.
Dr Roberts also told the jury the skull had been put in the fire "as fragments". He said places he lived included Porthmadog, Blaenau Ffestiniog, and Bala. The court heard he also moved to Wrexham and Chirk.
She said of one fragment: "It's burnt to a sufficiently high temperature whereby all the organic material has gone, so it's completely combusted." He was also asked by Mr Kelly if he had ever been employed within the military.
For the defence, Brendan Kelly QC cast doubt on Dr Roberts' conclusions and said one internationally-renowned expert in the field, Prof Susan Black, had disputed the prosecution's findings. He replied: "No I haven't."
Prof Black told the court there was no scientific evidence to conclude that one of the fragments had come from a juvenile skull. Criminal convictions
Mr Kelly: "Have you in the past told people that you have been employed by the military?"
Mr Bridger: "Yes I have."
Asked why, he said: "When I moved... close to the Machynlleth area everyone seemed to want to know who I was, where I was from, my past, my present... I had always been interested in the military, I just said I was ex-army.
"I didn't want them to know that I'd had problems in my past... that's stuck with me until now."
The jury heard how his past "problems" included criminal convictions. He had pleaded guilty to offences including possession of a firearm, having an imitation firearm with intent to commit an offence, theft and others. At the time he was about 19.
He was also in trouble in Aberystwyth in 1991 and was convicted of criminal damage, affray and driving with no insurance.
Mr Kelly said it was a "road rage in short", to which Mr Bridger replied: "Yes that's what I believe it's called now."
The court was told how it involved him hitting his hand on the other driver's bonnet.
In 1992, he was convicted of driving while disqualified and without insurance.
Asked if he had any convictions for sexual offences, he replied: "No."
Asked if he had offences for indecent imagery, he replied: "No, not at all."
Mr Kelly asked him about a time when he was dating a woman in Machynlleth. She had a sister who was also in a relationship.
Mr Bridger explained the sister was "with a chap called Paul". Mr Kelly said: "And Paul is Paul, the father of April Jones?" To this he nodded, appearing emotional.
So far, the jury has heard how he had four sons with two different women. The court was told Mr Bridger went on to have two more children in the Machynlleth area who are now aged 13 and 11.
He agreed the relationship with the mother of the youngest two children was troubled.
Police were called once which resulted in a conviction which included battery. The court was told he threatened a police officer.
'Punch-up'
The relationship came to an end and he added: "Straight after the break-up I moved over to Australia... I wasn't going to come back... I came back to the country because I missed my children..."
The court heard how his final conviction was in April 2007 after he pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
He said it had been to do with an incident years before where he was in rented accommodation and suffered suspected carbon monoxide poisoning from the boiler.
The landlord's son became involved and "we ended up having a punch-up", he said. He was sentenced to four months in prison which was suspended for 18 months.
Mr Bridger's alcohol problem was also discussed.
He said he had turned to drink after relationship break-ups but found it especially difficult after one particular split. From early 2010 to the day he was arrested he said he had been drinking heavily.
Asked if he had ever registered as an alcoholic, he said he had "picked the phone up a number of times and spoken to people... I don't think I ever registered... I spoke to my doctor and said that I had a problem".
He went on to say he had been taking anti-depressants for 12 years on and off.
He said alcohol at times affected his memory and at times he had "problems remembering dates, times".
Mr Bridger also denies intending to pervert the course of justice.
The case continues.