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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.
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."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.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, the court heard that Mr Bridger was told during one police interview that a witness saw April approaching a dark-haired man.
"I didn't abduct her, I did not abduct her. This was a stupid accident," he added. "That's totally untrue," he replied.
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. After hearing further claims by the witness, he said in the interview that it was "complete fabrication and lies".
He went on to describe a "horrendous clonking and clanking" when he drove the the parents' evening on the night April disappeared. He insisted on knowing who the witness was but the officer refused.
He was asked whether he was drunk at the parents' evening. Mr Bridger said he would refuse to answer any further questions and added it was obvious the witness was not there or had been "influenced" to say something.
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 went on to say there was no way April could have got into his car and dismissed evidence as "total lies".
Asked how he felt after the parents' evening he said: "I was happy for my daughter." Later, he said: "I did not abduct April."
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". Earlier on Friday, the court heard that Mr Bridger told police he had left a parents' evening for his daughter and had hoped to see his ex-partner. He told how he was drinking alcohol to "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. He said he thought he was over the driving limit.
Mr Bridger described how he prepared to drive off and saw one girl, then another youngster had "come in front of the car".Mr Bridger described how he prepared to drive off and saw one girl, then another youngster had "come in front of the car".
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"."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.
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.
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 rememberStruggled 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".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.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". Asked if he was on any medication, he said he was on an anti-depressant that was supposed to be taken daily but said an easier medication was alcohol.
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."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. The jury also heard details of another police interview held on the same day.
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.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".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?"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?"
At one point in the interview, the officer said there were inconsistencies in Mr Bridger's account and told him: "The way you're telling us didn't quite happen".
Mr Bridger said it happened "exactly the way" he had claimed.
Later, Det Con Thomas told him: "Mark, we don't want her to suffer anymore." He replied: "She can't."
He was asked to "think about April's mum and dad" and put himself in their shoes. He said: "I have."
He also said in the interview he was 95% impotent and it was one of the reasons he had split up with his girlfriend.
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.