This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-22556967

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
April Jones trial: Mark Bridger 'did not think to ring 999' April Jones trial: Mark Bridger 'did not think to ring 999'
(35 minutes later)
A man accused of abducting and murdering five-year-old April Jones said it never occurred to him to ring 999 for help.A man accused of abducting and murdering five-year-old April Jones said it never occurred to him to ring 999 for help.
Mold Crown Court has heard that Mark Bridger told officers he accidentally knocked her over and could not remember what he had done with her body.Mold Crown Court has heard that Mark Bridger told officers he accidentally knocked her over and could not remember what he had done with her body.
The defendant, 47, of Ceinws, Powys, denies abducting and murdering April, who went missing near her Machynlleth home on 1 October 2012.The defendant, 47, of Ceinws, Powys, denies abducting and murdering April, who went missing near her Machynlleth home on 1 October 2012.
She has never been found.She has never been found.
The prosecution claims the defendant murdered April, who suffered from mild cerebral palsy, in a sexually motivated attack.The prosecution claims the defendant murdered April, who suffered from mild cerebral palsy, in a sexually motivated attack.
But Mr Bridger told police during interviews he accidentally hit her with his Land Rover Discovery and does not know how he disposed of her body because he was suffering memory loss caused by alcohol and panic.But Mr Bridger told police during interviews he accidentally hit her with his Land Rover Discovery and does not know how he disposed of her body because he was suffering memory loss caused by alcohol and panic.
Earlier this week, the jury was told by a forensics scientist who examined the vehicle that there was no evidence of any type of collision with April.Earlier this week, the jury was told by a forensics scientist who examined the vehicle that there was no evidence of any type of collision with April.
On Friday morning, the court heard more of the police interviews conducted on 3 October, two days after April disappeared.On Friday morning, the court heard more of the police interviews conducted on 3 October, two days after April disappeared.
In the interviews he said he did not know why he had not called the emergency services after he claimed his car hit her. At one point in court the defendant was in tears as he heard himself telling police: "I would like to say to Paul and Coral [April's parents] I never meant this to happen... I never meant to put them through this."
In the interviews, Mr Bridger said he did not know why he had not called the emergency services after he claimed his car hit her.
"My intention was to get her to the hospital... what hospital do I take her to?... What do I do?... For some reason I never thought of dialling 999... I just didn't think...""My intention was to get her to the hospital... what hospital do I take her to?... What do I do?... For some reason I never thought of dialling 999... I just didn't think..."
'Happy times''Happy times'
Later he said: "I want Paul and Coral to have their daughter". Later he said: "I want Paul and Coral to have their daughter."
He then said: "I didn't abduct her, I did not abduct her. This was a stupid accident." "I didn't abduct her, I did not abduct her. This was a stupid accident," he added.
Mr Bridger was asked how he knew the couple who he was Facebook friends with. He told police he had brought his car in from abroad and originally it had foreign plates which were changed. It was a three-door vehicle.
He said he remembered April's mother Coral from the darts team adding that he used to help fix their cars.
He said in the interview he remembered Mr and Mrs Jones's first child, but "I didn't know anything about April".
Mr Bridger wiped his nose with a tissue as the evidence was heard about how he knew April's parents.
Asked later if he changed his clothes overnight, he said: "I woke up in the same clothes."
He told the interviewer he had been wearing "army greens", and boots, and possibly a vest when the incident occurred.
He told police that he had brought his car in from abroad and originally it had foreign plates which were changed. It was a three-door vehicle.
He went on to describe a "horrendous clonking and clanking" when he drove the the parents' evening on the night April disappeared.He went on to describe a "horrendous clonking and clanking" when he drove the the parents' evening on the night April disappeared.
'Happy for daughter' He was asked whether he was drunk at the parents' evening.
He was asked in interview whether he was drunk at the parents' evening. He told police: "I had had enough... I would've said that... when I'm drunk I talk a lot, when I'm nervous I talk a lot... "
He said: "I had had enough... I would've said that... when I'm drunk I talk a lot, when I'm nervous I talk a lot... "
Asked how he felt after the parents' evening he said: "I was happy for my daughter."Asked how he felt after the parents' evening he said: "I was happy for my daughter."
Mr Bridger told police he left the parents' evening and had hoped to see his ex-partner but there had been a "lot of animosity" between him and her mother. Mr Bridger told police he left the parents' evening and had hoped to see his ex-partner. He told how he was drinking alcohol to "calm my nerves".
He said: "The first thing I did was open a can of cider, have a swig of vodka... calm my nerves." "I got to the point where I'd had too much to drink... I'd run out," he added. He said he thought he was over the driving limit.
"I got to the point where I'd had too much to drink... I'd run out," he added. Mr Bridger described how he prepared to drive off and saw one girl, then another youngster had "come in front of the car".
Asked how he felt at that time, he said "upset" and worried after his housing benefits had been cut earlier in the day.
He said he would "possibly have been over the limit" at that stage.
Mr Bridger described how he prepared to drive off and saw one girl, then another youngster had "come in front of the car between me and the van".
He continued: "I could see the pushbike... there was no thud, there was no knock and the vehicle then rose up."He continued: "I could see the pushbike... there was no thud, there was no knock and the vehicle then rose up."
He said he looked down "and there's a small bike but no girl..."He said he looked down "and there's a small bike but no girl..."
"I have seen my vehicle pushed up against the body of a young child," he said."I have seen my vehicle pushed up against the body of a young child," he said.
He said he saw "a body, a little person's body".He said he saw "a body, a little person's body".
"I have got my hand under her bum and lower spine and she's totally limp," he said. He described how "she was so small", and was quite a long way under the vehicle. "I have got my hand under her bum and lower spine and she's totally limp," he said. He described how "she was so small".
"All I remember is obviously I could see half the body and this huge wheel against the rest of it," he said."All I remember is obviously I could see half the body and this huge wheel against the rest of it," he said.
He said her arms and legs were limp but "her eyes were open". He said "pure panic" set in.He said her arms and legs were limp but "her eyes were open". He said "pure panic" set in.
'Wasn't breathing'
One of his first reactions, he said, was that he had "killed her".One of his first reactions, he said, was that he had "killed her".
He said he looked for the other girl and had intended to call to her for help but she was not there.He said he looked for the other girl and had intended to call to her for help but she was not there.
He said he did not know who the injured girl was and did not find out until the following day.
Mr Bridger said he tried "mouth to nose" resuscitation but "I hadn't got a pulse, she wasn't breathing".Mr Bridger said he tried "mouth to nose" resuscitation but "I hadn't got a pulse, she wasn't breathing".
Asked in the interview what he remembered about April's clothes, he said: "The one thing I noticed, or I haven't seen... was any blood..."Asked in the interview what he remembered about April's clothes, he said: "The one thing I noticed, or I haven't seen... was any blood..."
Continuing in interview, he said: "I put my hand or my fingers here [points to his chest]... because it was a confined space I couldn't hear her breathing I couldn't feel a pulse... I tried to get a pulse... "Continuing in interview, he said: "I put my hand or my fingers here [points to his chest]... because it was a confined space I couldn't hear her breathing I couldn't feel a pulse... I tried to get a pulse... "
He said "my intention was to get her to hospital". On reaching the Monument landmark near Machynlleth he said he checked her again.He said "my intention was to get her to hospital". On reaching the Monument landmark near Machynlleth he said he checked her again.
He said he then realised Machynlleth hospital had no accident and emergency.He said he then realised Machynlleth hospital had no accident and emergency.
"All I wanted was to get this little girl help," he said."All I wanted was to get this little girl help," he said.
Struggled to remember
He said he still had hold of her hand and at that point he knew she was dead. One side of her chest was "caved in", he told police.
Then he described how he was possibly crying at this point, thinking "I have now killed a little girl".
Later in the interview, Mr Bridger was asked to try and remember the last time he saw April but said he had trouble with his short term memory.
Asked if he was on any medication, he said he was on an anti-depressant that was supposed to be taken daily but an easier medication "was 10 cans of cider and a quarter bottle of vodka".
He told police he did not mean to put April's parents through this. The interviewing officer, Det Con Louise Thomas, replied: "Maybe you can help them by trying to remember."
The jury also heard details of another police interview on 3 October with the same interviewing officer.
Mr Bridger was asked again about the incident and the other girl present, replying that he would have told her to get help if she had been there.
He said the shock he felt at having "killed a young person" had taken over "all the proper thoughts".
Asked what he had done with April he replied he had drunk a "serious amount of alcohol" adding: "Do you really think I would be sat here if I really knew where she was?"
As well as abduction and murder, he also denies intending to pervert the course of justice.As well as abduction and murder, he also denies intending to pervert the course of justice.
The case continues.The case continues.