Research 4

April Jones: Suspect Mark Bridger weeps as he appears in court charged with her murder

- Angry mob gathers outside

- Bridger remanded in custody

The former lifeguard accused of the abduction and murder of five-year-old April Jones wept as he appeared in court today.

Mark Bridger cried to himself as he confirmed his name, age and address, and that he understood the charges.

Bridger is accused of abducting and murdering April, and of unlawfully disposing of and concealing of her body with intent to pervert the course of justice.

There were angry scenes outside Aberystwyth Magistrates' Court as the police van Bridger was in was punched and kicked while members of the crowd shouted "Scum" and "F****** kill him".

During the four-minute hearing Bridger, who wore a blue jumper, was remanded in custody to appear at Caernarfon Crown Court on Wednesday.

The unshaven 46-year-old did not make eye contact with anyone, but answered "yes" when asked if he had understood each charge.

He also confirmed his date of birth as November 6, 1965, and his Mount Pleasant farmhouse address in the village Ceinws.

Neither district crown prosecutor Iwan Jenkins, or John Hedgecoe, defending Bridger, were called on to speak during the brief hearing.

April was last seen near her home on the Bryn-y-Gog estate in the mid-Wales town of Machynlleth last Monday evening. Bridger was arrested the following day, but the search for April's body goes on.

The five-year-old was last seen getting into what is believed to have been a Land Rover Discovery last Monday evening.

Her parents Coral Jones, 40, and husband Paul, 44, had allowed her to play out late as a treat after she received a glowing school report that day at a parents' evening which Bridger also attended.

Bridger, who owns a Discovery, was arrested last Tuesday afternoon and was charged on Saturday.

The case sparked an outpouring of support for April's parents, with hundreds of people joining in the search and offering their assistance.

Tonight April's family will release a Chinese lantern from their garden in Machynlleth, and have asked friends, neighbours, and anyone else across the country to light a small candle at the same time to remember her.

Yesterday more than 700 people packed into Machynlleth's St Peter's Church to attend an emotional service.

Reverend Kathleen Rogers, who led the moving sermon, said prayers for April's parents and paid tribute to the community who had pulled together to help in the search.

She read a touching poem on behalf of April's mother called "Mum" as the Bishop of Bangor, Reverend Andy John, said the tight-knit community had "touched the heart of people around the world".

He revealed that emails had been received from as far afield as South Africa and New Zealand - with a church in Texas even making a donation.

Mountain rescue teams were stood down last night as the search operation switched emphasis.

But the hunt continued today, with investigating officers revealing police numbers on the ground were doubled this morning.

Night-time search efforts have been suspended, with the shift in manpower being described as a change of "resources rather intensity".

Superintendent Ian John, who was in court for Bridger's hearing this morning, paid tribute to mountain rescue volunteers "who have worked themselves to a standstill in the search for April".

Mr John, who has led the search for the missing schoolgirl, said: "We are upping our numbers to 18 teams which will be over 100 officers."

Welsh Secretary David Jones also hailed the "tremendous community spirit" of the people of Machynlleth.

Addressing the Conservative Party conference, he asked activists in Birmingham to "spare a few thoughts today for April Jones, her family and the officers of Dyfed-Powys Police and the search and rescue services".

"Most particularly, could I ask you to think about the people of Machynlleth who, over the last seven really harrowing days, have displayed such tremendous community spirit," he said.