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April Jones case: Mark Bridger gives evidence for third day April Jones case: Mark Bridger says bin bag was 'empty'
(about 4 hours later)
The cross-examination of a man accused of murdering five-year-old April Jones in a sexually motivated attack is continuing into a third day. A man accused of murdering April Jones said a bin bag he was seen carrying the day after the five-year-old went missing was empty, a court has heard.
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 says he accidentally hit her with his Land Rover.He says he accidentally hit her with his Land Rover.
The prosecution has told Mold Crown Court he told police a "web of lies" to cover up what he had done.The prosecution has told Mold Crown Court he told police a "web of lies" to cover up what he had done.
Mr Bridger has told the jury he panicked after knocking her over and cannot remember what he did with her body.Mr Bridger has told the jury he panicked after knocking her over and cannot remember what he did with her body.
The court has heard April has never been found despite the largest police search in UK history.The court has heard April has never been found despite the largest police search in UK history.
Mr Bridger is continuing to be cross-examined on Friday by prosecuting lawyer Elwen Evans QC. The jury has been told her blood was found at several places in Mr Bridger's home and fragments of human skull were found in his fire.
On Thursday, he was asked by Ms Evans whether he was a paedophile, to which he replied: "No." During his third-day of cross-examination on Friday, he was asked by prosecutor Elwen Evans QC about a black bin bag that a witness had seen him carrying in a lay-by near his home the day after April went missing.
Earlier, Mr Bridger told the court he felt sick with "fright and fear" after accidentally running April over. He told the court he was "carrying a bag, there was nothing in it".
He claimed he had tried to resuscitate her but eventually drove off and, after visiting a local landmark, could not remember anything. Ms Evans: "Something in it?"
Ms Evans told him he had no clear recollection because he knew the story he gave to police was "complete nonsense". Mr Bridger: "No. There was nothing in that bag, nothing at all."
Asked where he had disposed of April's body, he said: "I don't recall at all." Ms Evans: "The reason you stopped there Mr Bridger?"
The court has previously been told that April's blood was found at several locations around his house, including under the carpet in his living room. Mr Bridger: "To go to the toilet, to go for a wee."
He denies carrying out a huge clean-up to get rid of evidence. During his evidence, April's mother Coral left the court looking visibly upset.
Ms Evans had started Friday's cross-examination by asking Mr Bridger why he had lied to police about inviting a young girl for a sleepover with his daughter on the night April disappeared.
The court heard that in police interviews he had said he did not speak to the girl.
On Friday he told the jury he had forgotten about speaking to her when he was interviewed.
Mr Bridger has previously told the jury he had spoken to her.
Asked if he was reading a newspaper and lying down in his Land Rover when the girl saw him, he said he never bought newspapers.
He said he was not lying down but may have bent down to pick up the Scantronic radio device that he has previously told the court was a personal alarm.
He also said he did not have a walkie-talkie as the witness had described. The court was told the Scantronic device may have looked like a walkie-talkie.
Morning after
Mr Bridger was later asked what state he was in at about 08:30 on the morning after April's disappearance.
"I'm in a completely different state to normal... the realism of me killing a child is with me as well... I'm upset, I have had a drink, I have got to find out what happened... it's slightly different to a normal morning," he said.
Ms Evans: "Slightly different to a normal morning, is that really the answer you want to give to this jury?"
Mr Bridger: "No, no."
Questioned about his knowledge of a huge search under way on the Tuesday morning, he said he "didn't know there was a huge search".
Ms Evans: "Your story, you are responsible for killing her?"
Mr Bridger: "Yes."
Ms Evans: "You are responsible for taking her from Bryn-Y-Gog (the estate where April lived)?"
Mr Bridger: "Yes.
Ms Evans: "What did you think her parents would be feeling?"
Mr Bridger: "...I didn't know that I had taken her back to mine."
Ms Evans: "What did you, Mark Bridger, what did you think her parents would be thinking?"
Mr Bridger: "I cannot even start to understand what they were going through but at that time I did not know that April had not been found."
There followed an exchange between Ms Evans and Mr Bridger in which the judge asked him whether he had recognised the girl as April Jones at the time of the incident. Mr Bridger said he had not recognised her at all.
When Ms Evans suggested he had not even bothered to find out who she was, he replied: "What was I supposed to do?"
Mr Bridger was asked to view the helicopter footage of him walking his dog at about 10:30 on the morning after April went missing.
Ms Evans: "That's you panicking is it?"
Mr Bridger: "I'm out looking... I have my stick in one hand I have my torch around my neck."
Ms Evans: "That's you in the state you were in that morning is it?"
Mr Bridger: "I don't know whether I was crying... I don't know."
He added: "It's not unusual to have helicopters or aeroplanes up there."
Ms Evans: "You don't even look up at the helicopter do you?"
Mr Bridger: "It's not unusual."
Ms Evans: "There's a helicopter above your head."
Mr Bridger: "It doesn't necessarily mean I saw it or heard it... they could been a quarter of a mile in the air."
Collision
In a later exchange about the moment he discovered a Land Rover was being sought by police, he said: "I have to be very careful how I state it to you because you twist... to make it sound as if I'm lying."
He said he "could've run" but didn't, adding: "I could've borrowed a car, I didn't".
Later, he was asked about the spot by the garages where the court has heard he parked on the estate and which he had earlier described as "secluded".
Asked if it was as secluded a spot as he could find, he replied: "No. Everyone knew my car, every knows me."
He was also asked whether April had been crushed by his car. "She was pinned under my wheel," he said.
He continued: "I had my hand on her chest at one point and it didn't feel the same... she had been crushed by the wheel of my car."
He was pressed on when he heard her last "gasp".
He said: "I had just crushed and killed a little girl, I don't know exactly... when I went underneath and picked the little girl up from underneath my car... I can't say 100%... I had just crushed and killed a little girl, or believe to have killed a little girl, I had her in my arms."
There was a tense exchange between Ms Evans and Mr Bridger over how April would have got into his car.
"April could not physically get into that car, impossible," he said.
He continued: "If I'm abducting a child why has this child walked around my car checking the doors... I'm supposedly abducting a child, why have I not picked her up and thrown her in the car?"
Ms Evans suggested he was at the time trying to be charming.
MB: "Ridiculous, ridiculous. Why didn't I put her in the boot, why didn't I open the door and cover her up?"
The judge interrupted and said: "Mr Bridger I have asked you please don't argue your case, please just answer the questions."
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.