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| April Jones case: Mark Bridger defence closing speech starts | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The closing speech in defence of a man accused of murdering five-year-old April Jones in a sexually motivated attack has started. | The closing speech in defence of a man accused of murdering five-year-old April Jones in a sexually motivated attack has started. |
| Mark Bridger, 47, of Ceinws, Powys, denies abducting and murdering five-year-old April, who went missing near her Machynlleth home on 1 October 2012. | Mark Bridger, 47, of Ceinws, Powys, denies abducting and murdering five-year-old April, who went missing near her Machynlleth home on 1 October 2012. |
| In the prosecution closing speech earlier, Mold Crown Court was told Mr Bridger's account of events was "totally incredible". | In the prosecution closing speech earlier, Mold Crown Court was told Mr Bridger's account of events was "totally incredible". |
| April's body has never been found. | April's body has never been found. |
| Mr Bridger says he accidentally ran her over in his Land Rover Discovery but cannot remember what he did with her body because he "panicked" and was drinking heavily. | Mr Bridger says he accidentally ran her over in his Land Rover Discovery but cannot remember what he did with her body because he "panicked" and was drinking heavily. |
| The prosecution has said he murdered April in a sexually motivated attack and told a "web of lies" to cover it up. | The prosecution has said he murdered April in a sexually motivated attack and told a "web of lies" to cover it up. |
| On Tuesday, prosecutor Elwen Evans QC said the evidence against Mr Bridger "overwhelmingly" pointed to his guilt. | On Tuesday, prosecutor Elwen Evans QC said the evidence against Mr Bridger "overwhelmingly" pointed to his guilt. |
| But defence counsel Brendan Kelly QC, in his closing speech, said the defendant had been involved in a car accident. | But defence counsel Brendan Kelly QC, in his closing speech, said the defendant had been involved in a car accident. |
| He told the jury: "Back on Monday, 29 April I suppose many of you if not all of you were in a state of shock... that is the day that you were chosen to try this case. Members of the jury, if not shock, then perhaps fear. | He told the jury: "Back on Monday, 29 April I suppose many of you if not all of you were in a state of shock... that is the day that you were chosen to try this case. Members of the jury, if not shock, then perhaps fear. |
| "You all understood, you were aware of the... horror, the utterly appalling end to a child's life, the feeling of obvious revulsion towards the man suspected of having murdered her. The nation was and is appalled." | "You all understood, you were aware of the... horror, the utterly appalling end to a child's life, the feeling of obvious revulsion towards the man suspected of having murdered her. The nation was and is appalled." |
| He went on to say that on that day, the jury saw for the first time a man described as "the paedophile, the liar..." but said Mr Bridger had denied all the allegations. | He went on to say that on that day, the jury saw for the first time a man described as "the paedophile, the liar..." but said Mr Bridger had denied all the allegations. |
| "He challenges the compelling conclusions that have been described to you... he says that he is not guilty of those offences," he said | "He challenges the compelling conclusions that have been described to you... he says that he is not guilty of those offences," he said |
| He added: "You many only convict this defendant if you are sure, sure of the evidence that is put before you. | He added: "You many only convict this defendant if you are sure, sure of the evidence that is put before you. |
| "If you are sure it will be your pleasure to convict Mark Bridger but if you are less than sure it will be your pleasure to acquit Mark Bridger... that is why we have the trial process." | "If you are sure it will be your pleasure to convict Mark Bridger but if you are less than sure it will be your pleasure to acquit Mark Bridger... that is why we have the trial process." |
| Talking about Mr Bridger's computer, he said many of us "would have been sickened by the content of that computer, little doubt". | Talking about Mr Bridger's computer, he said many of us "would have been sickened by the content of that computer, little doubt". |
| But he went on to say that if the jury had judged him a paedophile, "a paedophile is just as likely to have a car accident as you or me". | But he went on to say that if the jury had judged him a paedophile, "a paedophile is just as likely to have a car accident as you or me". |
| He added: "A liar, even a drunken liar, is just as likely to have a car accident as you or me." | He added: "A liar, even a drunken liar, is just as likely to have a car accident as you or me." |
| Mr Bridger was "not being tried for what he might be like. He's tried on those three counts. It's those which you need to be sure of", said Mr Kelly. | |
| He said that if the jury thought his actions were those of a "drunken coward" they needed to question "whether or not it's the behaviour of a murderer". | |
| He said if the jury was less than certain about the evidence of April's seven-year-old friend then the case "remains unproven". | |
| Mr Kelly referred to evidence from a garage owner who confirmed a child would have had difficulty opening the Land Rover door. | |
| He added: "Is the defendant... hoping that he gets lucky, or is he, or might he be, telling the truth?" | |
| Referring to Mr Bridger's claim in police interview that there were no fingerprints in the car, he said: "How did he know that? Because they weren't there." | |
| He continued: "One print in that car, his story... is finished... there were none and there were no prints in that car from April Jones." | |
| Mr Kelly said the defendant had lived on the Bryn-Y-Gog estate, where April lived, in three separate houses and was "known by everybody". | |
| "He drove probably the only left hand drive Land Rover in that part of Wales... if he was meaning to abduct, why in front of all that risk?" he said. | |
| Mr Kelly said Mr Bridger had been seen by 11 different witnesses after leaving the parents' evening at the school adding: "He knew that he had been seen. Consistent with an accident, or an abduction?" | |
| He said the defendant "bears no burden of proof, he need prove nothing". | |
| He went on to question whether the evidence of April's friend could be relied upon. | |
| Earlier, the prosecution had said April's seven-year-old friend had seen her getting into Mr Bridger's car with a "smiling face". | |
| Ms Evans added: "Why on earth should April's friend make up that story?" | |
| She added that the reality was the defendant had abducted April and not knocked her over in an accident. | |
| "If she got into his car with a smiling face, uninjured... then his conviction on all three of the counts on this indictment follows," she said. | |
| "There can be no suggestion that her death was anything other than murder," she said. | |
| 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. |