General Chat

Be interesting how Bridger pleads to the three charges tomorrow. (Monday)

THANK YOU
5EXY FOR. THIS THREAD
IT HAS BEEN VERY.MOVING AND.
MORE UNDERSTANDABLE
THAN ALOT OF PRESS AND TV

This morning (Monday) on yahoo:

"Sue Winchurch and her family, who live seven miles from the town, travelled to the leisure centre yesterday to drop off food for the searchers.

"It's been my son's birthday and we've been over to the West Midlands for a party so we've brought over some things - leftover sandwiches and cakes - just because we wanted to do something," she said.

Sue, whose son Richard attends school in Machynlleth, added: "It's affected everyone and everyone's really scared and shocked. It's been really emotional for everyone."

Later, a man charged with posting offensive comments on Facebook about the missing youngster is due to appear before magistrates In Lancashire.

Matthew Wood, 20, from Chorley, Lancashire, has been charged under Section 127 of the Communications Act 2003 with sending by means of a public electronic communications network a message or other matter that is grossly offensive."

Remanded in custody awaiting trial at higher court today. Appears charges read out and no response, so pleas must come later.

But I think I heard on Sky that the reason they have arrested him for perverting course of justice is that they are charging him with burying or disposing of a body illegally. And that may account for the lady Vicar yesterday stating clearly that April was in "the arms of Jesus"

Have not seen any adverse reaction to her statement, and the service was extremely well attended (1,000 in a town of 2,000) and was lovely and very moving with plenty of pink to remember April.

Let us continue to pray that they find little April soon. So many thoughts are with the family and that whole area. Closure is so hard - poor Winnie died not having closure from Brady, and I really don't think village of Aberfan will ever get over the 1966 tragedy, even though they could bury their babes properly.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-19867915

"A man has been remanded in custody charged with the murder of five-year-old April Jones who was last seen outside her home in Machynlleth, Powys.

Mark Bridger, 46, appeared before Aberystwyth magistrates and will appear at Caernarfon Crown Court on Wednesday.

Mr Bridger confirmed his name and address and cried as he confirmed he understood the charges against him.

He has also been charged with child abduction and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The latter charge refers to the unlawful disposal and concealment of a body.

The court clerk read out each charge individually, asking Mr Bridger if he understood.


Mark Bridger has been charged with April's murder
When the murder charge was read out he answered "Yes" with tears in his eyes.

He answered "Yes" twice more to confirm he had understood each charge.

When his name was read out, he said: "That is correct."

He answered "correct" to confirm that his date of birth was 6 November, 1965, and said the same for his Mount Pleasant farmhouse address at the village of Ceinws.

He was remanded in custody and will be held in prison in Manchester and will appear at Caernarfon Crown Court via video link.

Mr Bridger was arrested on Tuesday - a day after the schoolgirl, who has not been found, disappeared.

A total of 100 police officers remain involved in the search for April."

Thoughts and prayers with April and her family and friends; and with all missing children of whom there are so many sadly.

Today (We4dnesday morning) on Yahoo news:

"The man accused of murdering missing five-year-old April Jones will appear in court later.

Former lifeguard Mark Bridger, 46, is accused of abducting and killing April, who was last seen near her home on the Bryn-y-Gog estate in the mid-Wales town of Machynlleth more than a week ago.

Bridger also faces charges of unlawfully disposing of and concealing her body with intent to pervert the course of justice.

He will appear at Caernarfon Crown Court after being remanded in custody earlier this week by magistrates in Aberystwyth.

The defendant, who cried when he appeared before magistrates on Monday, will not be present at court but will appear by videolink from prison in Manchester.

April vanished last Monday night while she was playing outside. She had been allowed to stay out later than normal as a treat for a glowing school report.

Bridger was arrested the following day after a massive search operation was launched involving police, mountain rescue teams and hundreds of residents and well-wishers.

The search for April, who has cerebral palsy, continues."

Police admitted yesterday (Tuesday) that they may never find April. But hunt for her still remains very high profile with same huge team searching for several more days yet.

Mark Bridger, the man who is accused of murdering five-year-old April Jones, has been remanded in custody until January 11.

Bridger, 46, appeared at Caernarfon Crown Court via video link from prison in Manchester.

Sitting in front of a green curtain Bridger, who was unshaven and wore a black sweatshirt, seemed calm and listened closely to what was happening in court.

On Saturday, he was charged with the murder and abduction of April along with attempting to pervert the course of justice by the disposal or concealment of a body.

He will now face a plea and case management hearing back at Caernarfon Crown Court in January.

One of the most senior judges in Wales, Mr Justice Griffith-Williams, said he would oversee future hearings in the case.

April was last seen near her home on the Bryn-y-Gog estate in Machynlleth last Monday evening.

The search for the missing youngster is continuing in the mid Wales town.

On Tuesday police dog teams worked in rural outlying areas while marine units searched in the estuary of the River Dyfi.

There are now 135 police officers along with an RAF helicopter and a team of HM Coastguard searchers working on the case.

Not understaqnding the "due process of the law" I was surprised that Bridger did not enter a plea at Caernarfon yesterday. He must know whether he thinks he is guilty or not on the 3 counts.

Does anyone know why we have to wait 3 months to find out how he intends to plead?

Let's hope they find April soon

Probably because his legal team and the investigative officers need to decide which is the best way to go about his trial.

Whether people like it or not the man is entitled to a fair trial - he is still the "alleged" abductor and murderer.

at this time he is only *assumed gulity* of 2 crimes,,,,,its a jurys job to find him gulity with substantial evidence or beyond reasonable doubt of 1 or all 3 accounts he is being charged with.
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also suprised you dont know *due process of the law* John.!

Why 'we' have to wait???

For goodness sake John, this is real life not a flamin' 'who done it' :-|

Kay and Sue No, don't know law to that degree at all. hence question. It seems to me that Bridger will know whether he is guilty or not.

I expected him to plead "not guilty" on all 3 charges yesterday, but had a sneaking suspicion he may plead guilty on one or more charges.

So we presumably need to wait till after Christmas now to hear anything from the accused. Bit different to WDYTYA last night, when Celia Imrie's 8 x gt grandfather was tried and sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered for treason within 2 days. And he was totally innocent.

I agree Kay. Just think how the family must feel - it doesn't matter in the very least how everyone else feels.

Exactly Sue. Love the way John side stepped my comment.

Why am I suddenly centre stage almost every time I ask a simple question.

I do not know the law very well. Why did we not know yesterday how Bridger intends to plead? Bridger must know whether he intends to say he is innocent or guilty on each of the 3 counts.

Is this delay in pleading normal. Surely not an absolutely stupid question

Island Had not seen your response, but somehow I knew what you would say anyway. Not really any answer to my question, just a comment that I should not even ask.

Until April is found, then I doubt we'll be informed of every move, or who did what and when, just as it should be.

Yahoo will surely have the answer John on -due process of the law-
or maybe you could phone a friend?

there maybe elements in this case that are not known to the public,,,,,,,,he wont be required to plead guilty till before a jury.

I think you put yourself centre stage John.

This is about a missing little girl, not you, so let's keep it that way.

For information:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/bridger-appears-in-court-as-family-ties-to-april-revealed-8206047.html
"He was remanded in custody and no application for bail was made. The court heard that the prosecution had been given notice of Mr Bridger's "likely defence" which had been taken in interviews.

Some of the witnesses in the case will be as young as seven, the court heard. The judge, Mr Justice Griffith-Williams, said a decision about the location of the future trial would be made after consultation with the victim's family.

The case was adjourned until January 11 while investigations continue. Elwen Evans QC, prosecuting, said forensic and other "extensive investigations" were continuing "apace" and the judge agreed that "matters may develop"."

Kay Thank you. Selecting a jury before he pleads makes a lot of sense to me. Sometimes people can ask questions on here that they genuinely do not know the answer to. And others know a lot more than us on many topics.

It should not be - wait for a question, make the person feel as uncomfortable as possible in his or her ignorance, all agree he or she is stupid for asking.