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April Jones case: Mark Bridger cross-examination continues April Jones case: Accused was sick with 'fright and fear'
(34 minutes later)
The cross-examination of a man accused of murdering five-year-old April Jones and then spinning a "web of lies" to cover it up has resumed. A man accused of murdering April Jones has told a court he felt sick with "fright and fear" after accidentally knocking her over in his car.
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 the five-year-old who went missing near her Machynlleth home on 1 October 2012.
On Wednesday, the prosecution claimed he had lied to police when questioned on suspicion of her murder. The prosecution has told Mold Crown Court he murdered her in a sexually motivated attack and told police a "web of lies" to cover it up.
He has told Mold Crown Court he accidentally hit April with his car. She has never been found.
Her disappearance led to the biggest search in UK police history. She has never been found. Her disappearance sparked the largest police hunt in UK history.
The prosecution claims Mr Bridger murdered April in a sexually motivated attack after abducting her as she played near her home on the Bryn-Y-Gog estate. Mr Bridger's defence concluded on Wednesday and he is currently being cross-examined by Elwen Evans QC.
On Thursday, prosecutor Elwen Evans QC started by asking Mr Bridger to explain the difference between fabrication and lies. On Thursday, again with April's parents Coral and Paul watching in court, Ms Evans started by asking him to explain the difference between fabrication and lies and asked him to admit his 23-year claim he had been in the Army was a "fantasy".
He said: "A fabrication was something to make up... to impress someone rather than to... deceive someone."
Ms Evans, referring to his supposed army career, said: "Can we agree... for 23 years you put forward a fantasy? You put forward a fabrication?"
Mr Bridger answered yes.
'Confused''Confused'
Ms Evans continued: "When April, and I use a neutral term, went into your car, was she happy and smiling?"Ms Evans continued: "When April, and I use a neutral term, went into your car, was she happy and smiling?"
Mr Bridger said: "April was in my arms..."Mr Bridger said: "April was in my arms..."
Ms Evans interrupted: "Was she she happy and smiling?"Ms Evans interrupted: "Was she she happy and smiling?"
Mr Bridger: "No."Mr Bridger: "No."
Ms Evans: "And when (April's seven-year-old friend) says that she was happy and smiling, is (she) telling the truth?"Ms Evans: "And when (April's seven-year-old friend) says that she was happy and smiling, is (she) telling the truth?"
Mr Bridger: "No."Mr Bridger: "No."
Later, he said: "I believe she's confused."
Asked whether the girl was telling the truth, he replied: "No, she's lying." He added that he believed she had mixed the days up.Asked whether the girl was telling the truth, he replied: "No, she's lying." He added that he believed she had mixed the days up.
Ms Evans went on to say "you will say anything that you think will help you" and would "tell any lie" if it would "save your skin".Ms Evans went on to say "you will say anything that you think will help you" and would "tell any lie" if it would "save your skin".
Mr Bridger said he thought the girl had "lied about what she saw and she's confused about other matters".Mr Bridger said he thought the girl had "lied about what she saw and she's confused about other matters".
He said the girl must have been frightened.He said the girl must have been frightened.
Asked why she was frightened, he said: "She's just lost her friend" and seen her "disappear".Asked why she was frightened, he said: "She's just lost her friend" and seen her "disappear".
Ms Evans asked him, with his "vast experience" of resuscitation, how long he had spent at local landmark the Monument which the jury has previously been told he drove to after the incident.Ms Evans asked him, with his "vast experience" of resuscitation, how long he had spent at local landmark the Monument which the jury has previously been told he drove to after the incident.
He said: "This is different because I am under the influence of alcohol, I'm drunk, I'm frightened I'm panicking. I don't know."He said: "This is different because I am under the influence of alcohol, I'm drunk, I'm frightened I'm panicking. I don't know."
He was asked how long he had spent with April from the incident until he left town and passed Tuffins garage.He was asked how long he had spent with April from the incident until he left town and passed Tuffins garage.
"I can't guess that... I tried to help April," he replied."I can't guess that... I tried to help April," he replied.
He added: "I have no clear recollection of actually leaving the Monument."He added: "I have no clear recollection of actually leaving the Monument."
Ms Evans told him he had no clear recollection because he knew the story he gave to the police was "complete nonsense".Ms Evans told him he had no clear recollection because he knew the story he gave to the police was "complete nonsense".
The court has heard Mr Bridger may have been confusing his movements on the night April disappeared with other days.
He was asked whether there were any other occasions when he had a "dead or dying child in your car"?He was asked whether there were any other occasions when he had a "dead or dying child in your car"?
Mr Bridger: "No, which made it all the worse."Mr Bridger: "No, which made it all the worse."
Ms Evans: "Made what all the worse?"Ms Evans: "Made what all the worse?"
Mr Bridger: "The panic, the anxiety, the fright."Mr Bridger: "The panic, the anxiety, the fright."
He was questioned repeatedly about timings and, his voice cracking with emotion, responded: "This is irrelevant to what happened that night... that little girl died that night due to me."He was questioned repeatedly about timings and, his voice cracking with emotion, responded: "This is irrelevant to what happened that night... that little girl died that night due to me."
'Felt sick''Felt sick'
Later, he was asked when the "fog of not knowing" descended.Later, he was asked when the "fog of not knowing" descended.
Mr Bridger: "I believe it's when I leave the Monument."Mr Bridger: "I believe it's when I leave the Monument."
Questioned further on his movements and reaction, his voice cracked again as he said: "I have a dead child that I have killed in my car, how does that affect anyone?... I had pins and needles... I felt sick... with fright and with fear... this little girl had died, was dead in my car." Questioned further on his movements, his voice cracked again as he said: "I have a dead child that I have killed in my car, how does that affect anyone?... I had pins and needles... I felt sick... with fright and with fear... this little girl had died, was dead in my car."
Asked if the focus was on him, he replied: "The focus had always been on April... on little April."Asked if the focus was on him, he replied: "The focus had always been on April... on little April."
Mr Bridger began giving evidence in his defence in the trial on Wednesday. Asked about his movements at his house that night, he said: "I believe that I have driven to the house... at some time changed my beige top... I believe I might've had blood on it yes... I have then taken April back out the house and put her somewhere."
Asked where he disposed of her body, he said: "I don't recall at all... but in the time given there can only be a certain area."
Ms Evans referred to a text he received at about 23:00 that night and asked what he was doing.
"No idea, none at all," he said.
She then said: "On your account you have killed, disposed of a five-year-old girl within the previous..." Mr Bridger then interrupted and a tense exchange followed.
He said: "No, that's not correct... you say I disposed of... I placed her somewhere... there was an accident where I killed a young child... I have not disposed of her as you put it."
Ms Evans: "You could have disposed of her, because you can't remember? You could have done anything to her because you don't remember."
He replied: "There's scientific evidence to prove that certain things didn't happen."
He was asked what evidence.
He said: "There's no DNA evidence on myself, my person, that I had sexual contact... there's no evidence of any sexual contact in the car."
He said there was no evidence of "any huge amounts of blood or DNA or any horrific things on me, my car, my house".
'Panicked'
Ms Evans said the only piece of evidence that would solve the case was April's body.
"I know that," he said.
Ms Evans: "So where did you put her?"
Mr Bridger: "I don't recall, I don't know."
He began giving evidence in his defence in the trial on Wednesday.
He was accused by prosecuting barrister Elwen Evans QC of telling a series of lies about his own life and the events of 1 October.He was accused by prosecuting barrister Elwen Evans QC of telling a series of lies about his own life and the events of 1 October.
Earlier, during his defence, he told the court he had panicked after accidentally knocking April over and had tried to revive her.Earlier, during his defence, he told the court he had panicked after accidentally knocking April over and had tried to revive her.
She had showed no signs of life, he told the the jury.She had showed no signs of life, he told the the jury.
He then drove around the Machynlleth area but could not remember how he disposed of her body after drinking heavily, he said.He then drove around the Machynlleth area but could not remember how he disposed of her body after drinking heavily, he said.
Mr Bridger also denies intending to pervert the course of justice.Mr Bridger also denies intending to pervert the course of justice.
The case continues.The case continues.