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

[George Gently]

just a few thoughts that came up after reading through here…

....one of the few times he gets agitated during police interview is when the second girl is first mentioned as a witness by police. maybe he only found out there was a second girl after talking with aj once she was in his LR? the second girl, and her statement is a huge problem to his story/defence.

Yes, it is.

As is the lack of blood in the car while it is present in the house.

 

[Uchiki Kuri]

Based on the evidence we've heard to date, I will go so far as to say that if he were rich he would probably be acquitted. As it is, I assume he has a Legal Aid barrister, so who knows.

Brendan Kelly has been involved in some very serious, complex cases, for example “in 2012, he achieved an acquittal in the longest ever ‘supergrass’ UVF terrorist trial, and is currently instructed to defend in the high-profile alleged ’Continuity IRA’ shooting of a police officer.”

http://www.chambersandpartners.com/uk-bar/Firms/99999999-73200/233975

 

[sleuth-d-]

Land Rover never have the LR wording on the side of the vehicles.....only the model name
The only other place the friend could have seen the name is if he had a tyre on the back, in the LR cover

However, when was that brown paper taped over the front ? could that be something that was done the following day, therefore the friend could have seen the LR wording on the front of the car the night before

I also felt that there could have been a chance for AJ if the police had had a positive lead in those first few hours. Some reporting ( and who knows how accurate it was ) implied that the police were given MBs name almost immediately that night

there is one other place on the front...the 'Land Rover' name also appears in the logo on the front grille of mb's version... admittely it is fairly small, but the friend could have seen it and been referring to the logo...

http://uk.onlinenigeria.com/latest-...ck-as-police-interview-is-played-to-jury.html

land rover logo - Google Search

also there are many perceptions of grey... as the light drops a dark blue car could look [dark] grey.

 

[sleuth-d-]

Jerry Lawton ‏@JerryLawton 1h
#apriljones pal said pair of them took another pal home, then swapped bikes before she told April they should go home coz it's getting dark

so they did travel 2 on one bike that evening. maybe mb saw this as they rode past to drop the pal home. on the way back maybe he only saw aj on one bike and thought she was alone [the friend at this time was a little way ahead].

then if he later found out there were indeed two girls at the time aj entered his car this would explain his initial statement to police that the two girls were riding one bike [as he has only seen one bike].

 

[Crazy Mama]

I think that he is going to walk or get a few years at best for wrongful death.....but nothing else. I really cannot see much consequence to his computer files, they are not normal, but some men just have twisted heads, it does not mean that they will do it themselves.
There is no body
There is no CCTV
There is an inconsistent child witness who has been manipulated by her parent.
Apart from some DNA in the crotch area, there is little else.
Bone COULD be a childs.

Personally I do believe that with a good solicitor he has made it.

I think that he is guilty of all charges, but nobody cares. If I was on the jury, I could not 'guess' and would have to go with evidence.

 

[Crazy Mama]

He could have rubbed some blood on the underneath of his car but he didn't. He knew that the body will never be found, and for him, that is it.

 

[Elainera]

Crazy Mama, he will not walk. Otherwise I agree with you, the evidence isn't rock solid. Most things and statements are "could be/could be not".

As for myself, I don't believe one way or the other. How can I? Yes, he's one weird and sick bloke, but that doesn't neccessarily mean he's a murderer. He might be, but I will most probably never know for sure. So how can I pass judgement? I will refrain from that. I hope he tells the truth, it would be so much easier on April's parents if there was proof it really was an accident. It would mean she didn't suffer much.

 

[George Gently]

The devil is in the detail, as they say.

His story could appear to be plausible on the surface but there are so many inconsistencies despite his claim regarding lack of memory.

I don't think he'll walk.

 

[Alyce]

The prosecution has now finished their questioning .....

So, am I missing something here. MB says that AJ was dead when he laid her down on his carpet.
But there is also evidence of large pooling of blood underneath his carpet which we know is AJs.

So either AJ was dead or she was bleeding, she cant have been doing both as dead bodies dont bleed.

Has the prosecution mentioned this point ? it would seem quite relevant to me

 

[Elainera]

The prosecution has now finished their questioning .....

So, am I missing something here. MB says that AJ was dead when he laid her down on his carpet.
But there is also evidence of large pooling of blood underneath his carpet which we know is AJs.

So either AJ was dead or she was bleeding, she cant have been doing both as dead bodies dont bleed.

Has the prosecution mentioned this point ? it would seem quite relevant to me

bbm - I was thinking about this too. But if he really cut her up there would be blood loss, even if there's no active bleeding as from a live body, I think.

And we don't know how much blood they found. Did they ever specify the amount?

 

[ann-other]

This is becoming a long 'short break' I would love to think that the defence are trying to persuade MB to change his story...

Unfortunately not.

 

[Crazy Mama]

When I say 'walk', I do not mean scott free. I mean he will walk from a minimum tariff...like if they had never found Tia Sharps body....or the photo. They would not have had much.

 

[veggiefan]

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.

 

[Cherwell]

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.

I don't think it would have been desirable to have a three-day break between the prosecution's closing speech, and that for the defence. This way the prosecution case will still be fresh in the minds of the jury.

I'm surprised that's it though. You would think that they would at least call some character witnesses for him, and it speaks volumes that they haven't.

 

[sleuth-d-]

The prosecution has now finished their questioning .....

So, am I missing something here. MB says that AJ was dead when he laid her down on his carpet.
But there is also evidence of large pooling of blood underneath his carpet which we know is AJs.

So either AJ was dead or she was bleeding, she cant have been doing both as dead bodies dont bleed.

Has the prosecution mentioned this point ? it would seem quite relevant to me

it appears that the prosecution have not pressed mb that much.

and some questioning, such as on the newspaper and the 'walkie-talkie' today, the defendant was able to dismiss easily. which would appear to strengthen the defence/weaken the prosecution.

imo

 

[sleuth-d-]

I don't think it would have been desirable to have a three-day break between the prosecution's closing speech, and that for the defence. This way the prosecution case will still be fresh in the minds of the jury.

I'm surprised that's it though. You would think that they would at least call some character witnesses for him, and it speaks volumes that they haven't.

speaks volumes... in that the defence must be satisfied with how the case looks for them at this point.

the case was expected to last longer. maybe they had more witnesses, but now feel they are not needed.

 

[Neurotripsy]

(Sorry I'm late, internet was dead all morning. :facepalm

@DarrenLittleSky:

MB now questioning the account of girl he invited to a sleepover, says he "didn't think they had spoken" when interviewed #apriljones

MB also says he didn't have a newspaper in the car or a walkie talkie, as she described #apriljones

MB says oct 2nd was "slightly different to normal" as "the realism of killing a child" is with him #apriljones

MB talking about the next day "I started to realise it was a huge search", he again talks about "lying little April down" #apriljones

MB getting increasingly angry while answering the prosecutions' questions #apriljones

Judge intervenes - when put the girl in the car "did you recognise her as April Jones" - no - did you recognise her at all? -no #apriljones

MB says he dropped his car off at the garage, then intended to go to the police station #apriljones

Pros - your concern about your car more immediate than your concern about April MB - no, didn't think car would get to Mach #apriljones

Police helicopter video of MB walking his dog nr his home now being played again #apriljones

Pros - that's you panicking is it? MB - I'm out looking #apriljones

MB on helicopter footage - I've got my stick, had my head torch round my neck #apriljones


@skynewsnorth:

Bridger raises his voice - told by judge not to argue with prosecuting barrister. #apriljones


@DarrenLittleSky:

MB asked did alarm bells ring when his former partner texted him saying they were looking for the driver of a left hand drive vehicle MB no

MB to prosecutor - you twist things to say that I'm lying #apriljones

MB - everyone knew my car, everyone knew me (on Bryn y Gog), I've lived in three houses on that estate #apriljones

MB -April could not physically have got into that car, impossible #apriljones

Arguing that he didn't abduct April saying it's "ridiculous, why didn't I put her in the boot, why didn't I cover her up" #apriljones

MB was questioning the idea that April may have walked round his car trying the doors while he was "luring her into" his car #apriljones

MB and jury now being shown the defence case statement which he has signed outlining what the detail of his defence is #apriljones

MB now saying it wasn't a "collision" as defence statement says, judge asks for clarification, MB she went "under the vehicle" #apriljones


@JerryLawton:

Bridger says he did not recognise #AprilJones when he put her in his LRover after accident

Bridger said last time he'd seen #AprilJones was 2yrs ago at the vets - pros reminds him he had pictures of her on his laptop

Bridger: "I had run over...I had crushed little April. I didn't run. I didn't hide" #AprilJones

Pros asks why Bridger didn't ask for help if #AprilJones accident happened so close to houses - "my priority was to save little girl's life"

Bridger said he didn't act like "someone who has just abducted a child" by repeatedly driving around Machynlleth after #AprilJones vanished

Bridger describes pros account of abduction as "ridiculous...ridiculous" #AprilJones

Bridger made no mention of laying down #AprilJones body in his house in his defence statement made in January

Bridger did not mention wiping up spots of blood in his house in defence statement #AprilJones


@DarrenLittleSky:

Pros -your whole story about a collision/accident is a lie
MB - no
P - or a fabrication
MB - no
P - or a fantasy
MB - No

Pros - what did you say to her to get her into your car
MB - I never spoke to her #apriljones

Pros - what did you do with April's body
MB - I don't know Pros asks him to "take a moment" to think
MB - I have done for the last 9 months

Prosecution has finished cross examining Mark Bridger, his barrister is now re-examing #apriljones


@skynewsnorth:

Defence says no more evidence on behalf of Mark Bridger. Case adjourns until Tuesday. Judge expects to sum up Wednesday. #apriljones

Judge: We have reached a very important part of the trial. #apriljones


More in-depth live updates copied here.

 

[George Gently]

it appears that the prosecution have not pressed mb that much.

and some questioning, such as on the newspaper and the 'walkie-talkie' today, the defendant was able to dismiss easily. which would appear to strengthen the defence/weaken the prosecution.

imo

I don't see that as relevant tbh.

There has been many circumstantial factors mentioned which they will need to separate and view as simply placing the events in context.

Then there is his story, very little of which can be substantiated.

I am surprised that no further defence witnesses have been called to substantiate certain details he has claimed.

Looking at the actual facts that remain there are so many inconsistences in his story that I am not sure they are worth the time listing, but the jury will.

 

[George Gently]

The final summing ups next week should be interesting when we shall see what the prosecution consider as relevant and what the defence has to offer in response.

 

[Elainera]

His story is flimsy and wishy washy.
The Pros' story is not strong.
I don't envy the jury.