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

[Cherwell]

From this photo you kindly posted, there is enough room to drive in and turn before driving out. I think there was only one reason he reversed in.:twocents:

Even so, I reckon 99% of men would regularly reverse in.

 

[LegallyBrunette]

Even so, I reckon 99% of men would regularly reverse in.

Well I'm a girl and I often reverse into my drive but I don't have to start off in the middle of a narrow road with a blind corner uphill from where someone could come flying down and T-bone you.
The neighbour who saw him reversing in noticed because he was stopped across the middle of the road.:twocents:

 

[Cherwell]

I agree that it's not an ideal situation either way, but to me it looks safer to reverse in than to reverse out.

 

[Neurotripsy]

[Ms Howes] added after carrying out tests on the sheets retrieved from Bridger's bedrooms, she came to conclude that "there's no evidence of any sexual activity" between Bridger and April.

I hate to entertain this thought in much detail but how can she possibly know for sure? Surely the amount of blood could suggest otherwise? And just because they found no semen doesn't mean he couldn't have washed it out of the sheets. The fact he even brought up an excuse as to why her DNA might be on his penis speaks volumes to me.

 

[Neurotripsy]

Trial resuming at 2:05PM.

 

[LegallyBrunette]

I agree that it's not an ideal situation either way, but to me it looks safer to reverse in than to reverse out.

You wouldn't need to reverse out, there's ample room to turn in that front yard.

 

[LegallyBrunette]

I hate to entertain this thought in much detail but how can she possibly know for sure? Surely the amount of blood could suggest otherwise? And just because they found no semen doesn't mean he couldn't have washed it out of the sheets. The fact he even brought up an excuse as to why her DNA might be on his penis speaks volumes to me.

No evidence on the sheets. Not 'no evidence' anywhere.
As you say, twice he referred to the fact that her DNA might be found on him.:twocents:

 

[Elainera]

I hate to entertain this thought in much detail but how can she possibly know for sure? Surely the amount of blood could suggest otherwise? And just because they found no semen doesn't mean he couldn't have washed it out of the sheets. The fact he even brought up an excuse as to why her DNA might be on his penis speaks volumes to me.

She didn't say she knows for sure, she said that there is no evidence for it. As you said, evidence could have been washed away but that is speculation. She is not there to speculate, only to testify to what she actually found or not found. So apparently she found no semen, or she found semen but it wasn't mixed with body fluids/hair/skin cells etc from April, so she couldn't draw the scientific conclusion that something sexual had taken place. :moo:

ETA: yes, what Legally said: this only pertains to the sheets. Evidence of sexual activiyt might have been found elsewhere. (we don't know yet)

 

[Cherwell]

I hate to entertain this thought in much detail but how can she possibly know for sure? Surely the amount of blood could suggest otherwise? And just because they found no semen doesn't mean he couldn't have washed it out of the sheets. The fact he even brought up an excuse as to why her DNA might be on his penis speaks volumes to me.

"No evidence" means exactly that and no more. She's not saying it didn't happen or can't have happened, just that there's nothing to prove that it did.

 

[Neurotripsy]

Thanks! I took it as a direct quote that there was no sexual activity, full-stop, rather than just none in the bedrooms! :facepalm:

 

[Elainera]

snipped from the morning session:

@JerryLawton:

#apriljones and Bridger's blood found on both sides of shower curtain in bathroom and on sofa in living room

Did they really find MB's blood too? This is the first time I hear that. Or is this a reporting mistake?

 

[Elainera]

I'm just stunned at all the blood evidence! Blood all over the place, in all kinds of spaces and surfaces! He must have spent the whole night cleaning up because initally they did not see anything when they went into his house.

Blood on the axe, in a bucket (although without dna profile) - but we know what happened there ...

I wonder, did they ever dig up his garden? Did he maybe cut out pieces of lawn and bury her in there, covering it again with the lawn. It wouldn't be very obvious.

RIP April sweet girl!

 

[LegallyBrunette]

I'm just stunned at all the blood evidence! Blood all over the place! He must have spent the whole night cleaning up because initally they did not see anything when they went into his house.

Blood on the axe, in a bucket (although without dna profile) - but we know what happened there ...

I wonder, did they ever dig up his garden? Did he maybe cut out pieces of lawn and bury her in there, covering it again with the lawn. It wouldn't be very obvious.

RIP April sweet girl!

Sadly, I think he put her in the river.

 

[Elainera]

Sadly, I think he put her in the river.

Yes quite possibly.

 

[Sarahlou]

I reckon all the evidence of sexual activity was probably on poor April's body. Which unfortunately they don't have.

 

[veggiefan]

Even so, I reckon 99% of men would regularly reverse in.

Yes, I agree. Trying to turn on grass in such a small space, with a 20 foot drop to the rear and a telegraph pole in the way, would be madness.

 

[Neurotripsy]

I wonder, did they ever dig up his garden? Did he maybe cut out pieces of lawn and bury her in there, covering it again with the lawn. It wouldn't be very obvious.

There are mentions of forensic tents in the garden but unfortunately the river was likely the perfect place.

 

[LegallyBrunette]

Re the BS bike story - from Friday's transcript:


The five-year-old’s heartbroken mother Coral hastily left the public gallery to avoid listening to Mark Bridger’s story about how he fatally reversed over her daughter as she played on her bike. (but the bike wasn't damaged)

Constable Philip Saunders told the trial of how he spotted Bridger walking alone along the A487 on the afternoon after the tot disappeared.

The officer, who cautioned the 47-year-old, told how he immediately blurted out: “I know what it’s all about - it was an accident, I crushed her with the car. I don’t know where she is.”

Consulting his notebook, PC Saunders read out the labourer’s words admitted in the back of a patrol car, which said: “As I was going to drive away two girls on a bike came across me.

“I got out and saw one of the girls lying under my car. I don’t know where she is. I picked her up and put her in my car, which is a left-hand drive and put her on the front seat.

“She was just on the seat. I tried to revive her using mouth and nose. "***

"I don’t remember having her in the car when I went back. I looked in all my rooms in my house."

***He was supposedly a lifeguard. Therefore he should know CPR. Mouth and nose is only for infants under 12 months old.

Check out all the latest News, Sport & Celeb gossip at Mirror.co.uk http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/april-jones-trial-mark-bridger-1880881#ixzz2TB2nxKVR
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[Neurotripsy]

@stevenmorris20:

#markbridger jury now hearing about forensic examination of the defendant's Land Rover.

#markbridger told police he accidentally knocked #apriljones over. Panicked and put her in Land Rover before driving off.

He claims he can't remember what happened to #apriljones after that. Land Rover was examined at police HQ by forensic scientist Emma Howes.

Howes says #markbridger's Land Rover was cluttered with objects including empty cider cans, silver tape, baby wipes. Generally unclean.


@JerryLawton:

Empty Strongbow cans found inside Bridger's Land Rover in which he allegedly abducted #apriljones



From live updates: [x]

Ms Evans has just asked the specialist whether she carried out tests on two pieces of carpet and a bath mat found in the river which runs behind Bridger's Ceinws cottage.

Ms Howes confirmed she analysed all three "exhibits" and that she did not find any bodily fluids on them.

"However, it should be noted that these items were recovered from the river and were in a poor condition and it may be possible that evidence may have been lost," she added.


@stevenmorris20:

Jury told scientists took sample of #apriljones' DNA from her toothbrush.

Forensic scientist says no blood was found in #markbridger's Land Rover or on objects recovered from it.

Amendment to last tweet - none of APRIL'S blood found in car. Some of Bridger's found on tissue.

Forensic scientist says she found no evidence that #apriljones was bleeding freely in #markbridger's Land Rover....

Howes tells #markbridger jury that she believes some form of sexual act had taken place in #markbridger's Land Rover BUT can't say when.


@JerryLawton:

Forensic scientist says "no evidence" #apriljones had been "hit or run over" by Bridger's Land Rover

Forensic scientist: There is evidence of some form of sexual activity has occurred in the vehicle #apriljones


From live updates: [x]

An open packet of baby wipes was also found on the dashboard.

Ms Howes said a small amount of blood was found on a tissue in the car and on the trim of a box while two semen stains were identified - one on the middle of the back seat and another on a front seat.

The blood found on the tissue in the toolbox and on the outside of the box were both found to belong to Bridger, Ms Howes said.

<modsnip>
@JerryLawton:

No evidence sexual activity that occurred in Bridger's car involved #apriljones - forensic expert


@stevenmorris20:

#markbridger's barrister, Brendan Kelly, is cross-examining forensic scientist Emma Howes. #apriljones

#markbridger's barrister asking if any trace of April's DNA found in back seat of Land Rover. Told not by scientist.


Live updates: [x]

During cross-examination Ms Howes told the jury she is "unable to confirm" whether semen stains found in the car were made by Bridger.

Brendan Kelly QC, defending, has asked Ms Howes whether there's any suggestion that the cuts to Bridger's living room carpet were "made by a bloodied knife".

To which she replied: "No."


@stevenmorris20:

Next witness in #apriljones case up now. Forensic scientist Andrew Parry - expert in blood staining and patterns. #markbridger

Parry says distribution of blood in #markbridger's living room consistent with someone lying on floor, blood seeping from injury.

Parry says there is no scientific evidence that there had been an assault in the living room. #markbridger



From live updates: [x]:

Mr Parry, an expert in blood stain patterns, was called in by police to analyse the areas in the cottage where April's blood was found in the hope of determining what happened to her.

The scientist described how he concluded the blood stains on the back of the bathroom door and on the shower curtain had been "smeared" on.

But he told how blood spots on the toilet and on the bathroom wall tiles had "flown through the air".

When asked by Ms Evans about what may have happened in Bridger's living room, Mr Parry told the court he thought "someone had been on the floor in that area and bleeding".

<modsnip>
@stevenmorris20:

Third forensic scientist of the day in #markbridger trial - Ruth Shackel. She examined exhibits taken from defendant's house and car.


From live updates: [x]

When cross-examined by Mr Kelly, the forensic scientist said he could not tell how many injuries April had sustained but that the staining of the living carpet was "consistent" with April lying there bleeding.

Mr Parry then added there were no other findings that suggested April had been bleeding in any of the other rooms in the cottage.

The jury are now listening to the evidence of another forensic scientist, Ruth Shackel.

<modsnip>
Ms Shackel has been released from the witness box and the trial has been adjourned for the day.

Proceedings will resume at 10.30am tomorrow.

 

[Neurotripsy]

@NewsAndyD:

#AprilJones Mark Bridger, 47, sitting in the dock again in a blue shirt Nd tie, wearing glasses and the hearing loop earphones..

#AprilJones judge apologises to the jury for the slight delay getting started this morning, as they carry out some 'housekeeping'

#AprilJones first witness this morning is Patricia Foley, Senior Crime Scene investigator with @NWPolice

#AprilJones The witness is giving evidence on the 'blue star' testing

#AprilJones the investigator tells the jury that Blue Star is a Chemical luminescent which reacts with blood

#AprilJones it reacts with haemoglobin and fluoresces of a short time. Witness says it's used when there is a suspicion there may be blood

#AprilJones witness being shown pictures of the carpet from the hallway in Mount Pleasant. It shows the fluorescent. "Consistent with blood"

#AprilJones the crime scene investigator says it shows "Blood spots we couldn't previously see"

#AprilJones in the bathroom, "there was a tiny amount of visible blood", "blue star indicated more blood had been in that location"

#AprilJones witness says grout is more absorbent than tiles, so would retain blood as it is washed away

#AprilJones in the bathroom sink - 'immediate and very dramatic' 'positive reaction' indicating blood had been there and had been wiped off

#AprilJones under cross-examination witness says with some cleaning materials, like bleach, could show false-positives with 'blue star'

#AprilJones investigator also says that with bleach, the luminescence isn't as bright as when with blood.

#AprilJones defence asks if another test was used, investigator says there was, which did indicate blood in some areas, but not the sink.

#AprilJones in cross examination witness says KM test gave 'no indication' to blood in the sink where there was a posting blue star test.

#AprilJones Brendan Kelly QC tells the witness there is no reference in her notes to the KM testing in the bathroom.

#AprilJones jury now hearing from Daniel Parry, who was a Crime Scene Investigator for South Wales Police in October last year

#AprilJones court told that Mr Parry took items for examination, inc; Blue nylon rope, clothes, used wet wipes and a dettol spray bottle.

#AprilJones the jury will now hear about fingerprint evidence

#AprilJones fingerprint examiner says he wasn't able to match prints found on the washing machine, to Mark Bridger.

#AprilJones witness says that fingerprints found in Mark Bridger's car matched to Bridger, some of his children, and some unattributable

#AprilJones says three prints found in the rear would be child sized. Couldn't match them to Bridger's children.

#AprilJones defence ask if prints found on April's school books or in her home, matched those in Bridger's car. Witness answers 'no'

#AprilJones witness saying that he can't be sure he has a full set of April's, so cannot say the unidentified prints are not of April.

#AprilJones now hearing from Alex Morgan, a finger print technician for Dyfed Powys Police, who took prints from Land Rover

#AprilJones confirms he did not recover any prints from any fabric on the vehicle

#AprilJones statements from officers being read, they say nothing of evidential value was found around the garages in Bryn y Gog


More in-depth info (from live updates): [x]

Ms Evans has called Patricia Foley as her first witness to the box. Ms Foley, a senior crime scene investigator with more than 26 years experience, attended Bridger's Ceinws cottage. The CSI has been called specifically to give evidence on the Blue Star chemical used in Bridger's house.

Ms Foley told jurors she regularly uses the substance at scenes of major crimes to uncover whether blood had been cleaned up. "With everything we go to we will look for all visible blood that's at the scene. However sometimes, depending on the period of time a suspect might have had to clean up the area, we would use it there if we feel it has been washed, if we find diluted blood or we think there might have been more blood than we visibly find," she said.

<modsnip>
Following this, proceedings were adjourned for lunch. The trial will resume at 1.55pm.