UK & World News
- 6 October 2012, 13:31
April Jones: Murder Charge Ruling Looms
Police have until 5pm to continue questioning their main suspect over the disappearance of April Jones.
Mark Bridger is under arrest for the abduction and suspected murder of the five-year-old, who disappeared while out playing with friends near her home in Machynlleth in Mid Wales five days ago.
Police initially arrested Bridger on Tuesday afternoon on suspicion of abduction.
Detective Superintendent Reg Bevan from Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed on Friday that the 46-year-old had been re-arrested on suspicion of murder.
Police will soon have been questioning him for 96 hours - after which they must either charge or release him.
They are due to hold a news conference at any time between 3pm and 5pm.
Friends of April have told police they saw her get into a vehicle at around 7.30pm on Monday.
She has not been seen since despite a search that has been described by police as "unprecedented" in scale.
The rescue effort has been coordinated at the leisure centre in the town.
Teams of experts including mountain rescuers, coast guards and police with sniffer dogs worked through the night again as the search for the missing youngster entered its fifth day.
Mick Nield, from Oldham Mountain Rescue, works with specially trained dogs.
He told Sky News: "The dogs work on air scent, which pick up any human scent, so if there's any human scent in the area they'll pick it up."
He confirmed his team arrived on Thursday, but extra teams were called in from Manchester last night.
Local people are determined not to give up hope of finding April safe and well.
Superintendent Ian John told Sky News: "The search effort is building, not shrinking. We now have 10 police search teams on the ground and a large number of mountain rescue and other services as well as an increasing amount of specialist search equipment."
Update:
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what do you think?
fish41
Cant undestand this case. Bridger goes to the parents evening for his own kids at same school,is known by the family, taken April crabbin in past, known all over the town even his vehicle is known all over the town. Allegedly abducts the poor girl in his landrover and later puts his landrover into a local garage. As far as we know he hasnt confessed anything.Police must have something else more concrete to even arrst him. (Did they get the number plate? is he known to the police? is he on some register? The arrested biit wearing camo and waterproofs doesnt say alot around there. Was he just walking back home after putting car in garage? Hope the police have got it right as they dont seem to be looking further afield.
Lee Gallacher
Completely agree fish, something doesn't add up.
david conway
The police should have more powers than just questioning the suspect. If it is now a murder enquiry they must have a reason but while there is still a chance she is alive and if they have sufficient grounds they should be allowed to coerce/torture information from this man. It's a simple choice. Him or her. What say the public?
Andrea Hill
they cant torture him now can they. this is not the dark ages.
Byron Eckhardt
What if they torture him then find out its someone else
shaun spencer
Andrea didnt you read what david said"its him or her"or do you really think its right that he be given cups of tea, a choice of all day breakfast or curry and plenty of sleep given librium by a doctor if required and interviewed every two hours and a good rest inbetween when this"lovely girl"could be down a well somewhere.
shaun spencer
Brayan. He will then no doubt receive plenty of compensation.
Andrea Hill
yes i.did read it shaun thankyou. how do you know how they are treating.him, im not stupid you know.
shaun spencer
I take it andrea youve never been arrested or been in prison andrea.im afraid i know my rights.
Andrea Hill
you been in prison. yes bet.you know your rights
Andrea Hill
and.no.never.been arrested
shaun spencer
Well as i said above he is entitled to all of the things ive said espescially if hes got a good solicitor.and all hes got to do at the moment when interviewed is say "no comment".
chris hammond
Get Jack Bauer on the case
movvi
David, I think had you been arrested wrongly for a crime you didn't commit (as yet they may not have enough evidence), I think you'd be very pleased indeed that the authorities don't torture people in this country at the questioning stage!
Babs Smith
Yes it doesn't make sense. Unless he honestly intended just to give her a ride in his vehicle like they say he did a few days previous, and something got out of hand and went badly wrong. Also I was thinking just in the few days prior to this happeninhg the news was full of that stupid little Megan Stammers and her equallly stupid married teacher. Although it is a different set of circumstances all the reports were full of his being wanted for child abduction and then this happens. Maybe it was enough to make someone who had been thinking about doing this sort of thing, to actuallly go ahead and do it.
Adj Jackson
Babs!!! I dont think these people need any sort of encouragement to do something like this Just irrational sick in the head sorts
shaun spencer
If something "just got out of hand"why hasnt he said so.
Penelope Flowerpot
something that got out of hand?????? what planet are you from Babs? Coz i have 5 kids, and nothing has ever got out of hand in my home that i can think of that would result in the disappearance of a little girl!
Babs Smith
Something does not add up. If it was Mark Bridger who picked up April in his car, why did the 7 yr old friend witness not just say so? Why was there talk of a possible van or a vehicle that was 'high at the back and low at the front?' Why didn't she just say it was Mr Bridger! Everyone knew everyone else and they had all just been playing with his children minutes before. Lets hope its not a case of them arresting him just because he'd given them lifts and trips before?! Its all too obvious.
Andrea Hill
wonder if friend did recognise him, thats why they picked him up.
ali baba
i presume forensics and peoples evidence; points to him, but sadly until they find her body they can not fully arrest him
Latisha Brooks
In the paper it said april friend said dont go with them and she said its ok i know them so who is them its more then one i think hope she is safe
shaun spencer
Do you believe what you read in the papers.
Latisha Brooks
No i dont but it dont add up at all i just hope they find her for her mum and dads peice of mind
Kerrie Spencer
None of this adds up 1, The children she were playing with said the van was silver. 2, The obvious place if he was going to get rid of a body if he did murder her which is what the police suspect is the river. The river is flooded and fast flowing so why did they leave it a day or two before searching the river! I hope she is found for her poor parents who must be going through hell :(
Penelope Flowerpot
remember she was out after nightfall..cars and vehicles often look a different colour under orange street lamps maybe this is why there is some confusion over the colour???? I too hope they find her SHE must be so scared and going through hell :(
shaun spencer
When i say he ought to coersed or tortured i dont mean,thumb screws or put in a rack but deprived of sleep, allowed to go hungery and certainly no sugar in his cup of tea.allowed to be cold at night which i fear he may of deprived april jones of.
Christopher Hodson
Shaun, that is why we have human rights in the world to protect people against your kind of thinking. You are making some wild assumptions that he is guilty and he may not be. I see where you are comming from but your solution would let the suspect evade the consequences in law.
Penelope Flowerpot
BUT he may be innocent Shaun please don't be so naive as to believe the police make no mistakes. IF he is guilty lock him up with open population of the prison i say, and let him "enjoy" his life then. unless he has already confessed( and even then many confessions are false) or they have concrete proof they have to treat him as a human.
shaun spencer
well all hes got to do at the moment is say"no comment" and in a few hours time he could be a free man.
Davefly Theuniuonflagbrown
I just hope that the police have got the right man. It is not unknown for them to arrest some one for murder, spread it around in the papers then months later actually catch the real culpret. I guess we may find out later today if this is a police phishing opperation or have they actually got any evidance?
IAN H
I don't get it !
Neil C
Think your find he has offended in some sort before. Criminologist let it slip they were looking at other people on a list!!! Would it not be easier to ask the garage when the 4x4 was dropped of? The police photo of vehicle shows that it was not muddy or used for of road, I can't see this guy of doing this like you say he's well known in the area. Think they may be clutching at straws on this man because he could have offended in some way before. I hope she is still alive and I feel the longer it goes without finding a body the more likely it is to find her alive. Information was askew in the beginning white van grey van, they say they know of two left hand drive 4x4 in the area have they got the other one?
terence moggridge
God bless you April sleep well
Geoff Booth
At then moment this all very much reminds me of Christopher Jefferies, the retired school teacher who in November 2011 was caught up in the Joanna Yeates murder case. The 66-year-old, was eventually released without charge, but his life was left in tatters. The Police seem to make a habit of jumping to the wrong conclusion, lets hope this is not yet another such event.
Leeanne Windmill
To april's family . We are all thinking about you all ,we hope with all our hearts she comes home soon x
Sam Cheney
This comment has been removed for violations of our Terms and Conditions.
Alison Mcallister
My heart goes out to April Jones family, and i hope she is found sooner rarther than later, the problem i have is the police publishing the photo and name of the man they have in custody. If he is released and not charged and in fact he has had nothing to do with her disappearance, that wont matter, he will end up murdered anyway by lynch mobs...however if he has done this horrendous crime the death penalty would be in order...along with the horror who shot the 2 policewomen in Manchester, a rethink is long overdue on the subject, crimes where there is no doubt of the guilt, which should be a lot easier to determine nowadays with forensic evidence, should warrant it. If there is no deterrent we will continue to see this type of horrific crime.
Penelope Flowerpot
the USA has the death penalty and they are pretty much still murder capital of the world :( We cannot go backwards even forensic scientists have got it wrong. If we were to bring back the death penalty here, innocent people would become victims,just as they did in the past.
shaun spencer
Dear peaple the girl is obviously dead.please do not keep hoping shes alive.let the parents greive in peace.
shaun spencer
This comment has been removed for violations of our Terms and Conditions.
Wayne Bushell
Thay said a few weeks ago that the death sentance should be brought back if you killed a police officer - i say you should hang anyone how kills a child - (i'll pull the cord if needs be) - My thoughts go to April's family at this distressing time.I'm so sorry xx
Latisha Brooks
If he done it he crack soon and give in sooner or later hopefully sooner rather than later her family need to know were that little girl is i hope she is still is alive and find her if she not she still needs her family to find her so they can put her to rest xx
Iain Kemble
6:44am on 6/10/2012
its gone on too long!!