Re: Mark Bridger Charged with Murder

**ann_chovey** Tue 9 Oct - 20:27

Panda wrote:"The blue Land Rover (below) is the same vehicle Bridger is said to have given the five-year-old a ride in two days before her abduction"

Surely it should be the day April disappeared?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9585955/April-Jones-TV-crew-may-have-caught-the-suspect-on-film.html

On Wednesday it emerged that two of Mr Bridger’s children from a past relationship live yards from April and were playing with her on the night she went missing.

It was also claimed that Mr Bridger took April and some of her friends for a ride in his Land Rover two days before she was abducted.

Amy Fenner, a neighbour of the Jones family, said: “[April] got into his van two days before the abduction.

“April was playing with her friends ..... [he] drove them down the road from the estate and chatted with them.”
On the night she went missing, April had been playing with Mr Bridger’s 10-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son from his relationship with a former partner, Elaine Griffiths, who lives a few doors from April.

Miss Griffiths’s four-year-old daughter from another relationship was also playing with April, but all three of her children had gone home by the time April was kidnapped.

**kitti** Tue 9 Oct - 20:46

I can just see the headlines now......'I saw bridger in pdl 2 weeks before Madeleine was abducted'.....'i saw bridger on a beach with a camera in sagress 2 days before Madeleine was abducted'...' I sat next to man resembling mark bridger in the tapas the afternoon before Madeleine was abducted'

You KNOW it's coming......

Bobsy Tue 9 Oct - 20:48

How many relationships do these people have and have children with then to split and go with another partner and produce children? Many of these children will be related. I have led a sheltered life, must have, because the Tia and the Shannon and now April case just all makes me ask, and sorry if I offend anyone, but do these adults have any sort of control at all with regard who they sleep with?

interested Tue 9 Oct - 21:13

Bobsy wrote:How many relationships do these people have and have children with then to split and go with another partner and produce children? Many of these children will be related. I have led a sheltered life, must have, because the Tia and the Shannon and now April case just all makes me ask, and sorry if I offend anyone, but do these adults have any sort of control at all with regard who they sleep with?

I know exactly what your're saying Bobsy. When my daughter was in her 20's and living on her own she began meeting a lot of new friends. Most of them were talking about 'my father's girlfriend' or 'my mother's boyfriend'. She told us she couldn't believe it; she said "fathers aren't supposed to have girlfriends and mothers aren't supposed to have boyfriends'.

I remember telling her that some of these people are going to end up saying, "I just found out I'm my own grandma".

Bobsy Tue 9 Oct - 21:43

interested wrote:
Bobsy wrote:How many relationships do these people have and have children with then to split and go with another partner and produce children? Many of these children will be related. I have led a sheltered life, must have, because the Tia and the Shannon and now April case just all makes me ask, and sorry if I offend anyone, but do these adults have any sort of control at all with regard who they sleep with?

I know exactly what your're saying Bobsy. When my daughter was in her 20's and living on her own she began meeting a lot of new friends. Most of them were talking about 'my father's girlfriend' or 'my mother's boyfriend'. She told us she couldn't believe it; she said "fathers aren't supposed to have girlfriends and mothers aren't supposed to have boyfriends'.

I remember telling her that some of these people are going to end up saying, "I just found out I'm my own grandma".

Mark Bridger Charged with Murder - Page 6 23324

Guest Tue 9 Oct - 22:05

This song and the pictures about complicated relationships always makes me smile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeIsxXDyjlc&feature=related

**Panda** Wed 10 Oct - 6:30

I'm starting to think theyv'e got the wrong man!!! It appears Bridger's ex is a friend of April's Family and he must have seen April often . We are told that April was only out so late because she had done well at school, would Bridger drive off with her in his Van when her friend was a witness if he was a pedophile????? It wouldn't be because he was offering her a lift home because she was supposedly outside her home ......there is no evidence he is a pedophile , no one has come forward and said they had suspicions about him , or that they saw his van pick up April even though it was only 7pm .

He is due to appear in Court today to be charged .

wantthetruth Wed 10 Oct - 7:07

Panda wrote:I'm starting to think theyv'e got the wrong man!!! It appears Bridger's ex is a friend of April's Family and he must have seen April often . We are told that April was only out so late because she had done well at school, would Bridger drive off with her in his Van when her friend was a witness if he was a pedophile????? It wouldn't be because he was offering her a lift home because she was supposedly outside her home ......there is no evidence he is a pedophile , no one has come forward and said they had suspicions about him , or that they saw his van pick up April even though it was only 7pm .

He is due to appear in Court today to be charged .

Maybe we shoud credit the police with a bit more intelligence? After all, they know a lot more than we do. The fact that he has ties to the family makes it more likely he's the right man....if statistics are anything to go on.

The child was seen getting into his car, by multiple witnesses, and she hasn't been seen since. That's a fact. Who knows what else the police know that we don't.

They brought a murder charge without a body. That tells me they're pretty convinced he did it.

I haven't heard anybody accuse him of being a peadophile yet, not officially.

Maybe we should have some faith that the police actually know what they're doing?

**Panda** Wed 10 Oct - 7:21

wantthetruth wrote:
Panda wrote:I'm starting to think theyv'e got the wrong man!!! It appears Bridger's ex is a friend of April's Family and he must have seen April often . We are told that April was only out so late because she had done well at school, would Bridger drive off with her in his Van when her friend was a witness if he was a pedophile????? It wouldn't be because he was offering her a lift home because she was supposedly outside her home ......there is no evidence he is a pedophile , no one has come forward and said they had suspicions about him , or that they saw his van pick up April even though it was only 7pm .

He is due to appear in Court today to be charged .

Maybe we shoud credit the police with a bit more intelligence? After all, they know a lot more than we do. The fact that he has ties to the family makes it more likely he's the right man....if statistics are anything to go on.

The child was seen getting into his car, by multiple witnesses, and she hasn't been seen since. That's a fact. Who knows what else the police know that we don't.

They brought a murder charge without a body. That tells me they're pretty convinced he did it.

I haven't heard anybody accuse him of being a peadophile yet, not officially.

Maybe we should have some faith that the police actually know what they're doing?

**Panda** Wed 10 Oct - 7:26

Morning wantthetruth ,

The child was seen getting into his car, by multiple witnesses"..........this is the first Iv"e heard of multiple witnesses.

The Police didn't charge Bridger until the very last minute. We will have to wait to find out what evidence they have against him

wantthetruth Wed 10 Oct - 7:36

Hi Panda

Maybe you've been reading different reports to me.

The CPS does not bring murder charges unless significant evidence is available. They just don't do it. To me (even as a layman) it seems obvious they waited until the last minute because they were desperately hoping they would locate her body in time.

Trying to reason that 'nobody said he's a peadophile' must mean he's innocent is crazy, IMO. Why assume this has anything to to with him being a peadohile? There could be so many other reasons for what happened.

I would like to think that the specialist trained officers on the ground know a lot more about what went on than we do.

As you said, we shall see.

**Panda** Wed 10 Oct - 7:52

wantthetruth wrote:Hi Panda

Maybe you've been reading different reports to me.

The CPS does not bring murder charges unless significant evidence is available. They just don't do it. To me (even as a layman) it seems obvious they waited until the last minute because they were desperately hoping they would locate her body in time.

Trying to reason that 'nobody said he's a peadophile' must mean he's innocent is crazy, IMO. Why assume this has anything to to with him being a peadohile? There could be so many other reasons for what happened.

I would like to think that the specialist trained officers on the ground know a lot more about what went on than we do.

As you said, we shall see.

There have been several miscarriages of Justice over the years, another case in Wales several years ago resulted in three Men being jailed for years for supposedly killing a Prostitute, the Birmingham 4 was another example. Let's just wait and see what the evidence is against Bridger , today he is due in Court to be charged with murder and concealment of the body, my personal opinion is that he is not a paedophile .....I might be wrong.!!!

**cass** Wed 10 Oct - 9:49

morning all -- panda im with you at min --

**Panda** Wed 10 Oct - 9:55

cass wrote:morning all -- panda im with you at min --

Morning cass.....until the Trial we just don't know what evidence there is against Bridger, it's just that for me too much just doesn't add up.

I don't know if you saw Welshy's post a couple of nights ago. I had remembered that when the photos of the search were shown the river was swollen and almost reached the top of the Bank. I had tried to Google the distance to the sea....who did I think I was kidding. Mark Bridger Charged with Murder - Page 6 294124

Mark Bridger Charged with Murder - Page 6 294124

Anyway, Welshy lives in Wales and joined in the thread and had measured the distance from the river to the sea at about 13 miles . With the weather at the time it is more than likely April is in the Sea and will never be found, sad to say.

**cass** Wed 10 Oct - 10:05

morning panda love --- yes i agree none of it adds up at all imo -- its not a strange abduction for a start -- the witness statements -- from the kids and talk of vans --- imo there is more involved in all this --- not the mum and dad of april -- i have a bad feeling all is not in the public eye --- alarm bells ringing of the fact that aprils illness not reported to press -- why ?

**wjk** Wed 10 Oct - 10:19

For what its worth, imo, going on what we know, which is not a lot, I think he has admitted to abducting April and murdering her but is refusing to say where he has put her. I don't think he is a paedophile, I think he killed her in anger after an argument with her parents. I think he showed emotion at the earlier court hearing as he now realises the enormity of what he has done. All imo, with what we know up to now.

**kitti** Wed 10 Oct - 10:24

Then why didn't he go have a go at the parents instead off an innocent child.

It reminds me off a man who murdered his own children out off spite because his wife didn't want him and had got a new boyfriend .

I don't think he entered a plea, did he?

wantthetruth Wed 10 Oct - 10:30

remanded in custody until Jan 11th

Judge wants trial as soon as possible

**wjk** Wed 10 Oct - 10:31

kitti wrote:Then why didn't he go have a go at the parents instead off an innocent child.

It reminds me off a man who murdered his own children out off spite because his wife didn't want him and had got a new boyfriend .

I don't think he entered a plea, did he?

Because he wanted to hurt the parents as much as possible. Like the example you've given, they always seem to go for the children, the most precious thing in the person they are angry withs life, their children.
No plea entered yet kitti.

**Panda** Wed 10 Oct - 10:42

I did manage to find the walesonline web and this is a transcript of the full charges against Bridger....very interesting.

========================================

Mark Bridger has appeared in court charged with murder, child abduction and attempting to pervert the course of justice over the disappearance of five-year-old April Jones.

The 46-year-old looked skyward with a pained expression on his face and cried as he was told he faces three charges including that of murder.

Bridger, who stands at more than six feet tall, was shuffled into court and flanked by two guards in a plain dark blue jumper as he stood with his hands cuffed behind his back for the duration of the four-minute hearing at Aberystwyth Justice Centre.

Wearing a short, shaved haircut and goatee beard, he initially appeared composed and replied “that’s correct” when asked to confirm his date of birth and address before confirming he understood the charges against him were too serious to be heard in magistrates court.

Then three charges were read out by the legal adviser.

The full charges read to Bridger were: "First charge, on the 30th of September 2012, and 3rd October 2012, at Machynlleth, you murdered April Sue Lyn Jones, contrary to common law.

"Second charge, on the first day of October 2012, at Machynlleth, without lawful authority, or reasonable excuse, took April Sue Lyn Jones, a child under the age of 16, so as to keep her out of the lawful control of a person entitled to lawful control of the said child.

"Third charge, between 30th September 2012 and 3rd October 2012 at Machynlleth, with intent to pervert the course of justice, did an act mainly the unlawful disposal and concealment of the body of April Sue Lyn Jones, which had a tendency to pervert the course of public justice."

After being asked to confirm he understood each of the charges against him, Bridger’s voice began to crack, he tilted his head back and he replied “yes” through tears.

Chair of the bench Betty Griffiths told Bridger, of Mount Pleasant Cottage, Ceinws, he would next appear in Caernarfon Crown Court via video link tomorrow.

He was then taken away to be remanded in custody in Manchester.

Play Sli

Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/april_jones/2012/10/08/april-jones-latest-mark-bridger-appears-in-court-charged-with-murder-91466-31990206/#ixzz28t4zbO92

Guest Wed 10 Oct - 10:45

I don't understand why the date 30th September is quoted when April didn't disappear until 1st October.

mossman Wed 10 Oct - 10:48

I don't understand the date of 3rd October, he was in custody at that stage, was he not ? April disappeared on Monday, was he arrested on Tuesday or Wednesday ?

Guest Wed 10 Oct - 10:50

Yes he was arrested on the Tuesday. There was a similar discrepancy with Stuart Hazell (charged with killing Tia Sharpe) as the end date was the day after he was arrested.

**Panda** Wed 10 Oct - 10:57

Not Born Yesterday wrote:I don't understand why the date 30th September is quoted when April didn't disappear until 1st October.

Yes, wantthetruth I saw that , it's obviously a typing error.

For me , what was interesting is that he has been transferred to Manchester Prison., obviously the Police were thinking of public and prisoner reaction if he had been transferred to a Welsh Prison.

**wjk** Wed 10 Oct - 11:24

I imagine he's in Strangeways where they are more able to deal with this kind of prisoner.

Sponsored content