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April Jones trial: Bone fragments from 'human skull' | April Jones trial: Bone fragments from 'human skull' |
(36 minutes later) | |
Bone fragments found in the fireplace of a man accused of killing five-year-old April Jones belonged to a human skull, a jury was told. | Bone fragments found in the fireplace of a man accused of killing five-year-old April Jones belonged to a human skull, a jury was told. |
A bone analysis specialist told Mold Crown Court the skull had been put in the fire "as fragments". | |
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. |
He claims he accidentally ran her over in his Land Rover. | He claims he accidentally ran her over in his Land Rover. |
The court has been told he did not know how he disposed of her body because he was suffering memory loss caused by alcohol and panic. | The court has been told he did not know how he disposed of her body because he was suffering memory loss caused by alcohol and panic. |
The prosecution claims he murdered April after abducting her while she was playing near her home on the Bryn-Y-Gog estate. | The prosecution claims he murdered April after abducting her while she was playing near her home on the Bryn-Y-Gog estate. |
On Tuesday, forensic anthropologist Dr Julie Roberts explained that her role was to examine material recovered from the fireplace in the living room at Mr Bridger's home. | On Tuesday, forensic anthropologist Dr Julie Roberts explained that her role was to examine material recovered from the fireplace in the living room at Mr Bridger's home. |
She said the five fragments recovered from the fire were subjected to a range of tests but not all fragments underwent every test partly because they were very small. | She said the five fragments recovered from the fire were subjected to a range of tests but not all fragments underwent every test partly because they were very small. |
She said she was asked to consider three questions: | She said she was asked to consider three questions: |
The fragments were all burnt bone, she concluded, and "four of the fragments can be assigned to the cranium and one we can't say one way or the other". | The fragments were all burnt bone, she concluded, and "four of the fragments can be assigned to the cranium and one we can't say one way or the other". |
Giving evidence about fragment A, Dr Roberts said there were "several specific features" which were unique to human skull. | |
The fragment was compared with an archaeological specimen of a skull belonging to a child aged about four to eight years old. | |
Dr Roberts said: "I was confident that this was a piece of human cranial bone." | Dr Roberts said: "I was confident that this was a piece of human cranial bone." |
Fragment A was selected for DNA analysis but it was not possible to obtain a DNA profile from the sample because it was so badly burned, she said. | Fragment A was selected for DNA analysis but it was not possible to obtain a DNA profile from the sample because it was so badly burned, she said. |
It was compared to bones from 14 other different species at the School of Veterinary Medicine in Liverpool including dog, fox, cat, ferret, squirrel, chicken, pig, horse, goat and sheep. | |
Dr Roberts said that because of the impact this type of evidence had on the case and the family "we wanted to be absolutely certain" before drawing any conclusions. | |
A second fragment, called C, was also said to feature the characteristics of a human skull and was, in Dr Roberts' opinion, consistent with a "younger individual". | |
She was asked by prosecuting counsel Elwen Evans QC whether it was possible to guess the temperature the fragments had been exposed to in the fire. | |
The witness said bone went through colour changes when burnt, starting off a yellow colour, then turning black before eventually going completely white. | |
Traditionally, she said, temperatures of about 700C would be required to reduce a bone to that state but other factors had to be taken into account such as the duration of burning and whether there was any soft tissue surrounding it. | |
'Clean-up process' | |
Referring to fragment C, she said: "It's burnt to a sufficiently high temperature whereby all the organic material has gone, so it's completely combusted." | |
Asked whether there was any doubt that all the bones had been subjected to heat, she said: "No doubt whatsoever". | |
Analysis on another fragment showed it to be compatible with human bone but it was not possible to tell on a fourth fragment, she said. | |
Dr Roberts said that in her experience of cremations, she would have expected to find other remains if a whole skull had been burnt. These would include facial bones and particularly traces of tooth, she said. | |
She said that "in other words I think those fragments have been put in as fragments". | |
She agreed what was found could have been part of a "clean-up process" at the property but said it was not the only possible interpretation. | |
For the defence, Brendan Kelly QC cast doubt on Dr Roberts' conclusions and said one internationally-renowned expert in the field, Prof Sue Black, disputed the prosecution's findings. | |
Prof Black was contacted by the Crown Prosecution Service last year to compile a report but Mr Kelly said she had disagreed with what other experts were saying. | |
Mr Kelly said: "She has no confidence at all that what was found in the fireplace was human bone, does she?" | |
Dr Roberts: "She doesn't appear to." | |
Mr Kelly went on to say that Prof Black was "even less confident" that they were the remnants of a human child. | |
He told Dr Roberts that as a scientist she was taught "not to guess" to which she replied: "We don't guess." | |
The court has previously heard that blood found in several locations around the defendant's house matched April's DNA. | The court has previously heard that blood found in several locations around the defendant's house matched April's DNA. |
The prosecution case is expected to conclude later with Mr Bridger's defence due to start on Wednesday. | The prosecution case is expected to conclude later with Mr Bridger's defence due to start on Wednesday. |
April's disappearance sparked the biggest police search in UK history. She has never been found. | April's disappearance sparked the biggest police search in UK history. She has never been found. |
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. |