Deceased/Not Found UK - April Jones, 5, Machynlleth, Wales, 1 Oct 2012 #7 *M. Bridger guilty*

[Cherwell]

Well yes, but what about people from outside the estate? And wasn't there some initial confusion over the vehicle description? I'm just thinking that there must have been people who hadn't heard all the details, otherwise why wouldn't they contact the police, as you say. I don't mean the exes, who may have had their own reasons, but people with no close connection to him - neighbours, people at the guest house or the garage.

 

[jigzy]

Well yes, but what about people from outside the estate? And wasn't there some initial confusion over the vehicle description? I'm just thinking that there must have been people who hadn't heard all the details, otherwise why wouldn't they contact the police, as you say. I don't mean the exes, who may have had their own reasons, but people with no close connection to him - neighbours, people at the guest house or the garage.

Yes, this bit makes no sense. I cannot imagine that many in Mach did not hear of this by 9am 2nd October - it was big news, and the LHD vehicle info really stuck out as a major hint/ call for action, IMO.

 

[Charlie27]

"
Mr Jones, 43, and his 40-year-old wife, who married two months ago after many years together, dialled 999 to report their daughter missing, and told police they had their suspicions about who the kidnapper might be. "
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...s-as-mood-turns-from-hope-to-desperation.html

So there must have been something about the child witness' account that made C and P name a suspect, presumably MB, either by her naming him or describing a left hand drive vehicle.

Alternatively, was there a motive that they knew about for him taking her, i.e. an altercation that might have resulted in him taking her for spite? (albeit the initial motive might only have been a starting point - once taken his other urges got the better of him).

I read from the trial, something about how MB had 'unfriended'CJ from Facebook possibly at the request of his then girlfriend VF, this could have some insight into motive. Was he angry that she got married? and there's some history between the pair we don't know of. Was MB persuing CJ and VF didnt like it so made him unfriend her. Might not be relevant at all it just made me think when I read it

 

[Charlie27]

:blushing:

@evansma:


@DarrenLittleSky:

MB says he had pics on his computer of April's sisters was because his children had wanted pictures of their cousins #apriljones

MB said he "didn't know" April was in the pics on his computer #apriljones

MB says he unfriended April's mum on Facebook at request of ex girlfriend, he later received a new friend request from her #apriljones

Here's the update I refer to in my above post

 

[Wolf Dreamer]

The jury will need to consider the facts in relation to the two charges.

Murder and disposing of the body (Perverting the cause of Justice).

The Murder charge is the most important as the second would automatically follow if that is proven.

I'm coming round to thinking that actually the perverting charge will be the most important. He's admitted to enough that I believe he can be found guilty on that charge, and it does carry a maximum life sentence. While I think he killed her I'm not convinced that the evidence they have will support murder and I don't think manslaughter was added to the charges. I suppose the judge could direct the jury to consider it.

Wish they'd added the child *advertiser censored* charges as well.. he needs to be tried for everything they can throw at him.

Really glad I'm not on the jury.

 

[Sarah]

I'm coming round to thinking that actually the perverting charge will be the most important. He's admitted to enough that I believe he can be found guilty on that charge, and it does carry a maximum life sentence. While I think he killed her I'm not convinced that the evidence they have will support murder and I don't think manslaughter was added to the charges. I suppose the judge could direct the jury to consider it.

Wish they'd added the child *advertiser censored* charges as well.. he needs to be tried for everything they can throw at him.

Really glad I'm not on the jury.

Indeed.
I've struggled to see his reasoning for pleading not guilty on perverting the course of justice. Whatever the version of events, she was with him, she died and nobody now knows where she is . . . therefore he must have disposed of the body . . .

Like you I remain unconvinced by the weight of evidence to support murder despite what my personal opinion on the matter may be.

 

[Elainera]

If he does get a light sentence or God forbid gets acquitted he's in for a rough ride - there's a "Hang Mark Bridger" facebook page with more than 2000 Likes ... I don't approve of such pages or actions but it shows the sentiment among the public.

 

[ann-other]

If he does get a light sentence or God forbid gets acquitted he's in for a rough ride - there's a "Hang Mark Bridger" facebook page with more than 2000 Likes ... I don't approve of such pages or actions but it shows the sentiment among the public.

Yes, I was surprised as to the answer on here that there was little knowledge as to how much interest the general public are showing in the case. The two main AJ facebook pages have a following of 234 and 179 thousand followers respectively. There is a lot of interest and confusion but most of all, they/we hope that justice will prevail.

 

[Neurotripsy]

@RobDavSky:

Closing speeches: Elwen Evans for prosecution on her feet #apriljones


@skynewsnorth:

Pros to jury: The ultimate responsibility is yours and yours alone. #apriljones

Pros: We say that the evidence you have heard...overwhelmingly compels to the conclusion that the defendant is guilty. #apriljones

Pros: At the end of the day it is the evidence that is eloquent in this case. #apriljones

Pros: You have had some glimpses of his [Bridger's] mindset that you may think were frankly shocking. #apriljones

Pros: This is a man who decided to create a lie for himself and a man who was prepared to live that lie. #apriljones


@RobDavSky:

Pros: the evidence most under attack by him (Bridger) is that of 7 year old

Pros: he thought he would be able to talk his way out of it #apriljones

Pros: he lied about how April got into his car #apriljones

Pros: all of the accounts of 7 year old's evidence was consistent #apriljones

Pros: why would she lie? #apriljones


@skynewsnorth:

Pros: Why on earth would April's friend make up that story [of April getting into Bridger's car happy and smiling]? #apriljones

Pros: It is our submission that [April's seven year old friend] evidence is compelling and powerful. #apriljones

Pros: He says he has no recollection of April being in the car with him. He's changed his position on that. #apriljones

Pros: Yes he may well have been drunk. But drunken intent is still an intent. #apriljones


@RobDevSky:

Mark Bridger looking at Elwen Evans as she addresses jury, shaking his head #apriljones


@skynewsnorth:

Pros: Defendant's account is "totally incredible." #apriljones

Pros: After his remarkably detailed account [of running over April] he is beset by complete amnesia. #apriljones

Pros: Undoubtedly the defendant is acutely aware of forensic, scientific issues. #apriljones

Pros: There can be little doubt that the defendant thought he had got rid if each and every trace of April from that house. #apriljones

Prosecution listing how Bridger allegedly changed his story to match forensic evidence #apriljones

Pros: It is obvious that there was a "wash-up" in Bridger's house after April died. #apriljones

Pros: The depth of the search...it's detail clearly shows that this disposal of the body was so thorough it left no trace. #apriljones

Pros: His computer shows interest in death particularly in cases of young victims. #apriljones

Pros: it is our submission that the evidence in this case points to one and only one conclusion - guilty on counts 1,2 and 3. #apriljones

Court adjourns for lunch. #apriljones


Copies of detailed live updates over on Pastebin.

 

[Alyce]

"When April failed to return home as expected, her parents are understood to have gone looking for her, and her friend told them what had happened.
Mr Jones, 43, and his 40-year-old wife, who married two months ago after many years together, dialled 999 to report their daughter missing, and told police they had their suspicions about who the kidnapper might be. "
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...s-as-mood-turns-from-hope-to-desperation.html

So there must have been something about the child witness' account that made C and P name a suspect, presumably MB, either by her naming him or describing a left hand drive vehicle.

Alternatively, was there a motive that they knew about for him taking her, i.e. an altercation that might have resulted in him taking her for spite? (albeit the initial motive might only have been a starting point - once taken his other urges got the better of him).

If the parents DID give MB's name from the outset, then why did it take SO long to find out his address? We know that VF and the schoolteacher both knew his new address, so why did the LE take so long to get this info?On the other hand, maybe the person who C and P named initially was another person entirely.

Jmo

This continues to puzzle me. From what I remember of news accounts ( and I appreciate they are not always accurate to say the least ! ) we were told that VF lives a few doors from CJ and PJ and was involved right from the beginning in the search for AJ that night.
So if LHD car had been mentioned and someone had named MB as having such a vehicle, then surely VF knew his new address, he had been there over a month and they were still a couple until October 1. Unbelievable to think she didnt know where he lived. as he was said to have been preparing the cottage for her and her children to move in with him.

At the very least, why didnt someone go to his new house, just to double check that he was not involved

Sorry to go on, this point really bothers me, thinking that if action had been taken then April may have been saved.

 

[veggiefan]

So if LHD car had been mentioned

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, the delay was in realising (and publicising) that it might have been a LHD vehicle.

 

[Elainera]

The thing that makes me doubt that MB is lying is that as a person with at least average intelligence he surely could have come up with a better story. He's not stupid, as seen when he was on the witness stand, he knows how to argue his case. I believe someone who tried to cover his tracks to avoid jail time would have avoided these bizarre explanations, knowing full well that people would have a hard time believing them. That's why I'm leaning towards believing him.

I know that doesn't make me popular here. And by no means I think he should be acquitted. But I'm not convinced he intentionally murdered her and sexually assaulted her.

Just moo.

Question: when the jury reaches a verdict, do they have to give an explanation how they reached there?

 

[Cherwell]

The thing that makes me doubt that MB is lying is that as a person with at least average intelligence he surely could have come up with a better story.

Such as?

Question: when the jury reaches a verdict, do they have to give an explanation how they reached there?

No, they don't. And they are not allowed to give interviews, as in the USA.

 

[Cappuccino]

The thing that makes me doubt that MB is lying is that as a person with at least average intelligence he surely could have come up with a better story. He's not stupid, as seen when he was on the witness stand, he knows how to argue his case. I believe someone who tried to cover his tracks to avoid jail time would have avoided these bizarre explanations, knowing full well that people would have a hard time believing them. That's why I'm leaning towards believing him.

I know that doesn't make me popular here. And by no means I think he should be acquitted. But I'm not convinced he intentionally murdered her and sexually assaulted her.

Just moo.

Question: when the jury reaches a verdict, do they have to give an explanation how they reached there?

I think the evidence of the 7 year old demolishes his claim to have run her over accidentally, his explanation for the images found on his computer was weak and the traces of April found in his home show that he knows exactly what he did with her. Personally I think he'll be convicted of murder.

 

[Crazy Mama]

Since AJ was in his car prior to this, I can only say that I would wonder if this girl remembers seeing Aprl getting in the car before and this time seeing the same car and getting confused. Perhaps he knocked her over and carried her in and the girl just saw her for a flash of a second.....as he was tossing her into the car. Maybe the girl could not see Bridgers body and only Aprils. I know that he once said that she got in the car. I have no doubt that something very suspicious went on that night, i wish that they could have looked further into his memory loss.

 

[Cherwell]

Since AJ was in his car prior to this, I can only say that I would wonder if this girl remembers seeing Aprl getting in the car before and this time seeing the same car and getting confused.

As far as I'm aware, there's no evidence for this apart from some Chinese whisper-style hearsay.

 

[Clutchbag]

As far as I'm aware, there's no evidence for this apart from some Chinese whisper-style hearsay.

Alot of statements in quotes, family spokeswoman, relatives....for chinese whispers


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...ng-trip-with-murder-suspect-Mark-Bridger.html

Then again, it has been denied by Coral Jones IIRC and sometimes the papers do get thngs *mixed up*

 

[veggiefan]

I think the evidence of the 7 year old demolishes his claim to have run her over accidentally

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.

 

[Cherwell]

Alot of statements in quotes, family spokeswoman, relatives....for chinese whispers

Then again, it has been denied by Coral Jones IIRC and sometimes the papers do get thngs *mixed up*

Yes, and there's a lot of scope in this kind of thing for locals to get things mixed up, eg someone genuinely thinking AJ was out with MB and his kids when it was actually another child. Once something's been said it can be repeated and spread like wildfire, then the press pick it up. I think that if this was true it would have come out in court.

 

[Elainera]

Such as?


No, they don't. And they are not allowed to give interviews, as in the USA.

Such as "Yes, April got in my car but I let her back out after a while. I have no idea what happened afterwards to her. Someone else must have taken her". Of course, the blood evidence in his house tells us that this is not the whole story, but he didn't know at the time he was arrested and started telling his story that they would find blood evidence. Had he said something like that it would have been an explanation that would make sense at that moment. Why would he immediately dish out something so convoluted and incredible if he wanted to save his *advertiser censored** if a simpler explanation would have made much more sense and was more credible (at first glance anyway)? Obviously he did not try to save himself, which makes me go "hmmm, maybe his story is right after all". Why would he confess to killing her at all if there was a chance he could get away with it?

Another thing I was thinking about: it was asked before, how could there have been no blood in his car but under the carpet in his house. If he did crush her under his wheel as he claims and laid her in his car on her back, then brought her in his house, maybe she ended up lying on her side or belly on the carpet, allowing blood that had accumulated in the injured lungs and chest cavity to flow out from mouth and nose.