Has anyone been following proceedings ?
Pretty grim stuff
Pretty grim stuff
Blood found at the home of the man accused of murdering missing April Jones in a sexually motivated attack matched that of the five-year-old, Mold Crown Court heard.
Mark Bridger, 47, from Ceinws, Powys, denies abducting and murdering April, who disappeared near her home in Machynlleth on 1 October 2012.
Blood was found in his living room, bathroom and hallway, the jury heard.
Prosecutors said there was a one-in-a-billion chance it was not April's.
On Wednesday, prosecutor Elwen Evans QC also told the jury:
As the prosecution continued its opening, Ms Evans said bloodstains on a carpet, sofa and near a fireplace at Mr Bridger's house matched April's DNA.
- Mr Bridger had asked a young girl to his home for a sleepover with his daughter on the day April disappeared
- He used his fire to dispose of evidence and used detergent as part of an "extensive clean-up"
- Tests on bone fragments at Mr Bridger's house "strongly support" the fact they came from a human skull
- Mr Bridger propositioned three women via Facebook asking two of them to meet up "with no strings attached"
- On the day April disappeared, he exchanged texts with an ex-girlfriend about their break-up
She said that when the prosecution referred to a one-in-a-billion match "that is, in fact, April's blood".
The prosecution has said Mr Bridger used the fire to dispose of evidence and used detergent as part of an "extensive clean-up".
Further details were given to the court of where blood was found, including the inside of the bathroom door and on the glass of the washing machine.
Tests showed blood in tile grouting in the hallway which experts say indicates a clean-up, the court heard.
Three DNA profiles were also found on the shower curtain, the jury was told - of Mr Bridger, April and a third individual.
The prosecution said examination of bone fragments at Mr Bridger's house "strongly support" the fact they came from a human skull.
"What happened to April as she lay bleeding in front of the fire in the defendant's living room?" Ms Evans said.
"One person, we say, knows and he's not prepared to say.
"He did say a very great deal in the very lengthy interviews that took place, but not what he'd done to April."
The court was told the defence does not dispute it was April's blood that was found.
The jury was shown pictures of clothing Mr Bridger was wearing on arrest which, the prosecution claimed, featured evidence of April's DNA.
The court heard DNA which might have come from April was found inside Mr Bridger's trousers.
Arrested
The prosecution has also outlined Mr Bridger's explanation to police about what happened.
Mr Bridger said he had hit April with his car. He attempted first aid but said he realised she had suffered serious injuries.The body of five-year-old April Jones has never been found
He told police that he then drove around and suddenly realised April was not in the car with him.
In interviews, he told police he was drinking vodka while driving.
He then said that he woke up in the early hours at his home and the first thing he did was get up and check the car.
The court was earlier told that Mr Bridger had said to police he wished he knew what he had done with April.
The jury heard that when arrested on the day after April went missing, Mr Bridger said: "I know what it's all about."
'I panicked'
He later told police he had been looking for April all night on foot because his car was in the garage.
"I didn't abduct her. I did my best to revive her," he said.
He went on: "I panicked", saying he got more drunk as he drove through the night.
"I just wish I knew what I'd done with her. I need to say sorry to her family," he told police.
"I wouldn't have dumped her. She's a human being."
The prosecution told the jury police had shown and questioned Mr Bridger about indecent images of children found on his computer, and about images of young murder victims including Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman from Soham.
He also said to officers during one interview: "I don't believe April's ever been in my house. I don't believe I took her to the house, because I can't ever recall seeing her in the car."
Mr Bridger had become a suspect the day after April went missing and police arrived at his home at 15:00 BST to arrest him.
Officers said his home was "uncomfortably hot" and smelled of detergent.
The jury has already heard how bone fragments consistent with those of a juvenile human skull and a concentration of blood was found near his wood burner, as well as evidence of an extensive clean up.
The court was also shown pictures of three knives found around Mr Bridger's fireplace. One, found on top of the wood burner, was burnt.
Earlier on Wednesday, the court was told that Mr Bridger had approached two girls aged eight and 10 on the day when April went missing.
One was friendly with his daughter and he invited her for a sleepover.
The approach was made shortly after he had attended a parents' evening at the same school where April was a pupil.
Prosecutor Ms Evans said: "Bridger left the school parents' evening at around 5.45pm and shortly after he approached a couple of girls who were playing in the area.
"They were a 10-year-old and an eight-year-old who were riding their bikes.
"He invited the older girl to go for a sleepover with his daughter."
After the girl refused, Mr Bridger drove off.
The court was also told about Mr Bridger's movements around Machynlleth that evening.
The prosecution said Mr Bridger's vehicle was parked close to garages on the Bryn-y-Gog estate where April lived at about 19:10 BST.
Evidence suggests "the abduction happened quickly", the court heard.
The jury was told a man saw Mr Bridger drive back in the direction of Ceinws at about 19:20 BST.
He said Mr Bridger seemed to be travelling fast.
Longer hair
Prosecutor Ms Evans said: "Where did he go? Where did he take April? He says he doesn't know."
Mr Bridger was next seen shortly before 09:00 BST the following day, 2 October, said Ms Evans.
One person who had joined the search for April and travelled through Ceinws told police she saw Mr Bridger near a lay-by carrying what looked like a black bin liner in his hand.
"What was Mark Bridger doing at that location? What was in that black bin bag?" said Ms Evans.
"In fact, 90 police officers were involved in clearing and excavating that lay-by and that bank, and they found nothing."
The court also heard how a postman had called at Mr Bridger's home and had spoken about April going missing.
The postman said Mr Bridger had appeared affected and shocked during their conversation and asked what vehicle police were looking for.
The defendant later drove his vehicle to Dyfi Autos in Machynlleth.
He spoke to mechanics and said the news was terrible and said he was going to see if he could help.
"Lies and tears appear to come easily," said Ms Evans.
There was no evidence of blood stains in the vehicle or any large scale clean up, the jury was told.
The court heard how a police helicopter searching for April had filmed Mr Bridger, before he was a suspect, walking his dog. His appearance was different from the previous day.
Smoke was also seen coming from the chimney of his home shortly after 10:30 BST.
In a text message to a friend after being asked if he had seen anything from the Bryn-Y-Gog estate, the jury heard Mr Bridger's reply was: "Saw nothing strange, trying to rattle my brain."
Facebook messages
Earlier, the court heard how on the morning before April went missing, Mr Bridger had propositioned three women via Facebook asking two of them to meet up "with no strings attached".
He sent the messages after breaking up with a girlfriend.
The jury has also been shown CCTV images of April's movements in the hours before she disappeared - the last known pictures of her.April Jones had gone for a swimming lesson at the local leisure centre on the day she disappeared
She had been to school, went home and eaten.
April then went for a swimming lesson at the local leisure centre with a friend, shortly after 16:30 BST.
Her parents, Coral and Paul, went to a parents' evening at the school "where the defendant was later to go".
Images
The public gallery at the court was earlier cleared to allow the jury to continue viewing images from Mr Bridger's computer.
They were shown images viewed by him on 30 September.
Mr Bridger, wearing a short-sleeved blue shirt, tie and grey trousers, wore headphones to hear everything said in court.
April's parents were in court.
April, who had mild cerebral palsy, disappeared while playing near her home in Machynlleth and has never been found.
Mr Bridger also denies intending to pervert the course of justice.
On Tuesday, the prosecution told the jury that Mr Bridger had gone to enormous lengths to conceal what he had done.
An extensive clean-up had been carried out by the defendant at his home, she said, but bone fragments consistent with those of a juvenile human skull and a concentration of blood was found near his wood burner.
The trial continues.
