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| April Jones trial: Suspect's drowning fear over body disposal | April Jones trial: Suspect's drowning fear over body disposal |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The trial of a man accused of murdering five-year-old April Jones has heard how he would not have disposed of her body in water because he was "scared of drowning". | The trial of a man accused of murdering five-year-old April Jones has heard how he would not have disposed of her body in water because he was "scared of drowning". |
| Mark Bridger, 47, of Ceinws, Powys, denies abducting and murdering April, who went missing near her Machynlleth home on 1 October 2012. | Mark Bridger, 47, of Ceinws, Powys, denies abducting and murdering April, who went missing near her Machynlleth home on 1 October 2012. |
| Mold Crown Court has heard Mr Bridger claimed to have accidentally knocked her over with his Land Rover. | Mold Crown Court has heard Mr Bridger claimed to have accidentally knocked her over with his Land Rover. |
| April has never been found. | April has never been found. |
| Mr Bridger told police he accidentally ran her over but it had not occurred to him to ring 999, the court has heard. | Mr Bridger told police he accidentally ran her over but it had not occurred to him to ring 999, the court has heard. |
| He told them he did not know how he disposed of her body because he was suffering memory loss caused by alcohol and panic, the jury has heard. | He told them he did not know how he disposed of her body because he was suffering memory loss caused by alcohol and panic, the jury has heard. |
| A forensics scientist who examined the vehicle has told the court there was no evidence of any type of collision with April. | A forensics scientist who examined the vehicle has told the court there was no evidence of any type of collision with April. |
| On Monday, the court heard written evidence from a detention officer which discussed the ways in which he had possibly disposed of April's body. | |
| The court heard the defendant spoke about the possibility of also burning April but said he knew through his fire training that like pork, human flesh "smells". | The court heard the defendant spoke about the possibility of also burning April but said he knew through his fire training that like pork, human flesh "smells". |
| He also said he would have remembered having a fire. | He also said he would have remembered having a fire. |
| The court heard how he told police he did not believe he had left Machynlleth with April. | The court heard how he told police he did not believe he had left Machynlleth with April. |
| He said he knew he would not have wanted her to get wet. | He said he knew he would not have wanted her to get wet. |
| Indecent images | Indecent images |
| Although he could not remember what he did with April, he told police: "I wouldn't have put her in a bin because that's disgusting." | Although he could not remember what he did with April, he told police: "I wouldn't have put her in a bin because that's disgusting." |
| The court also heard details of an interview on 5 October with Det Con Louise Thomas in which he explained to police why indecent images of girls were found on his computer. | The court also heard details of an interview on 5 October with Det Con Louise Thomas in which he explained to police why indecent images of girls were found on his computer. |
| He said he had been researching body and breast development so he could better understand how his daughter was growing up. | He said he had been researching body and breast development so he could better understand how his daughter was growing up. |
| He also said he wanted to be able to "advise" his children if they ever asked about sex and other issues as they got older. | He also said he wanted to be able to "advise" his children if they ever asked about sex and other issues as they got older. |
| The public gallery was then cleared as the jury heard about images on Mr Bridger's computer which were discussed in his police interview. Some images were shown in court. | The public gallery was then cleared as the jury heard about images on Mr Bridger's computer which were discussed in his police interview. Some images were shown in court. |
| He again claimed indecent pictures of young girls on his laptop were just to help him with his research into his daughter's development. | He again claimed indecent pictures of young girls on his laptop were just to help him with his research into his daughter's development. |
| In response to one picture, he said: "I get no sexual pleasure at all... not from that." | In response to one picture, he said: "I get no sexual pleasure at all... not from that." |
| He then described having "problems with erections" and said it affected his last relationship. | He then described having "problems with erections" and said it affected his last relationship. |
| Asked whether he remembered searching on the internet for "naked young five-year-old girls", he replied: "No." | Asked whether he remembered searching on the internet for "naked young five-year-old girls", he replied: "No." |
| He went on to discuss some of the sexual cartoon images that were found on his computer which he said were "disgusting" and "not for sexual pleasure at all". | |
| He had hand-written between five and 10 letters of complaint to companies in Belgium, Holland, Germany and Britain. | |
| He said he had received no replies but decided to keep the pictures in case the images were taken down so he could say "that's not what you were showing before". | |
| Shown a picture of a young child on a potty, he again said it was for breast development research purposes. | |
| Asked how he felt about the picture, he said: "The way you have put it across to me now, I feel like a pervert... you think I've taken them for my own sexual pleasure and that's not the case." | |
| Shown other pictures saved on his computer, he said he found them "disgusting". | |
| When asked about one cartoon image, he said: "This is not adult porn, this is sick." Discussing further images, he said: "Whoever gets off on these has got a serious problem, and obviously these are cartoons." | |
| April picture | |
| Later in the interview he was shown a Facebook-type picture of April with one of her older sisters. | |
| Asked if he knew who the younger girl was, he replied: "That is April." | |
| The interviewer noted at this point that Mr Bridger appeared upset. She asked how it made him feel and he answered that it upset him. | |
| He was also asked whether there was any coincidence that he had researched murders of young girls and was now being questioned about April's death. | |
| He replied: "There shouldn't be because I told you the story of April... I didn't abduct her," adding that it had been an accident and there had been no sexual pleasure. | |
| Later, the interviewer pointed out that there had been large age gaps between Mr Bridger and his former girlfriends - a 20 year age gap with his most recent girlfriend. | |
| Asked if he liked young girls, he replied: "Young girls no, young women yes." | |
| 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. |