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Also, if he had literally disposed of the body in a river, it would have cast doubt on the forensic evidence of bone being found in MB's cottage. And I suspect there was a worry that some of the jury could have reacted negatively to a priest revealing this disclosure. Even though it was not...

Sentencing to follow this afternoon - it'll be a life sentence, quite possibly without parole ("whole life tariff") given that he was also found guilty of abduction.

What a relief - especially for poor April's parents.

Let's hope it's not another false alarm from someone needing a comfort break!

Read back through the last few pages of messages. :fence: My own view (and I dare say that of quite a few others who have followed the trial) is a feeling that he is guilty, but a fear that there may not be enough evidence to convince a jury to convict.

No, but I agree with Clutchbag that if there was any evidence there, it would more than likely been washed off while driving around in the rain and mud. And of course the police have not helped in admitting that, due to "confusion" they had not examined the road where MB claimed he had...

(Duplicated Alyce's post)

The Jury's back already - that almost certainly means a guilty verdict after such a short time (little more than an hour).

I can't imagine that it will be a very quick decision, given so many uncertainties - but who knows?

Forensics said there was no sign of a "clean-up" in the car.

It is just as well that there is some forensic evidence, because I don't think a jury would be willing to convict on the evidence of a 7 year-old who admitted to making some things up.

I don't think that the young witness's claim that April got into the vehicle on the driver's side was made public until the next day. Even then, the police were saying that this could have been because April "had got in with the driver or that it is left hand drive vehicle". In other words...

If the jury cannot agree on a unanimous verdict, the judge may be willing to accept a majority verdict of 10 from the jury of 12. If the jury cannot reach a verdict one way or the other, there would have to be a re-trial with a new jury.

In a murder trial, the judge can instruct the jury to consider the lesser charge of manslaughter.

There are factual reports of the court proceedings, although it is not the main story in the news. There is no discussion as such because, as has been mentioned, the case is ongoing.

I see what you mean, but neither hypnosis nor lie detectors are regarded as reliable in the UK and are therefore not normally used. I would imagine that hypnosis in particular would require the subject to be compliant and probably susceptible - MB, in contrast, seems to me to be an accomplished...

The CPS warns that there is a strong likelihood that evidence obtained under hypnosis will be unreliable and inadmissible in criminal proceedings. Similarly, the results of poygraph tests are not regarded as reliable, and therefore cannot be introduced in court.

The purpose of the nearly hour-long break seems merely to have been to give the judge strength to announce that that is it for the day. Both sides to sum up next week, starting on Tuesday. The wheels of justice (which we taxpayers underwrite) seem to grind exceptionally slowly sometimes.

2.42pm today: When asked about his relationship with Leslie Grimwood, who Bridger exchanged text messages with on the day April went missing, the 47-year-old told the court she was a close friend. He said that when they were younger he and Ms Grimwood had an on-off relationship and that...

A long and diverse criminal record: possession of a firearm, obtaining property by deception, convictions for affray, driving without insurance, battery, actual bodily harm, using threatening words and behaviour; plus police called to his ex's address twice because of his behaviour, and he...