April 2013
Missing April Jones search ends, almost 8 months on
The search for missing five-year-old April Jones has ended after almost eight months, police have confirmed.
Officers from around the UK have been searching for April since she disappeared from near her home in Machynlleth, Powys, in October. Searches of specific areas of land identified during the investigation were completed last Friday.
April’s disappearance sparked one of the largest police searches in UK history. Since last October, specialist officers along with other forces from across the UK had been searching the area for April. There were 17 search teams hunting on a weekly basis.
The search operation covered an area of 60 kilometres square, including more than 300 specific search areas.
Trial of Mark Bridger over murder of April Jones to begin next week
The trial of Mark Bridger – the man accused of the murder of April Jones – will begin next week, a judge said today.
A jury for the trial, expected to last between four and five weeks, will be selected on Monday.
Mr Justice Griffith-Williams had the case listed today to allow the five-year-old’s family to have some certainty about proceedings.
Legal arguments in the absence of the jury would be held on Tuesday, with the prosecution case, led by barrister Elwen Evans QC, would be opened on Thursday and Friday.
The jury will make a site visit to Machynlleth on the following Tuesday, with the first evidence shown the following day.
Bridger, 47, of Ceinws, Machynlleth, denies murdering April but has previously accepted that he was probably responsible for her death.
The trial was originally due to start in February but defence barrister Brendan Kelly QC successfully applied for an adjournment so that further inquiries could be made.
Bridger was remanded in custody and the judge extended the custody time limits today.
Click this for Profile of Mark Bridger
March 2013
April Jones: Police to complete search next month
The search for missing five-year-old April Jones is expected to end in a few weeks, says Dyfed-Powys Police.
Officers from around the UK have been searching for the five year old since she disappeared from near her home in Machynlleth, Powys, in October.
Searches of specific areas of land will continue but they are expected to be completed at the end of next month.
Mark Bridger, 47, denies abducting and murdering April as well as intending to pervert the course of justice.
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