April Jones Murder: Life for Mark Bridger

30 May 2013, 15:10 | Updated: 31 May 2013, 07:34

Five-year-old April vanished while playing on her bike near her home in Machynlleth on October 1 last year. 47 year old Bridger was given a whole life sentence after he was convicted by a jury at Mold Crown Court of April's abduction and murder.

Bridger stood impassively as sentence was handed down but shook his head when the judge addressed his perverted interest in violent child abuse. The judge said: ``There is no doubt in my mind that you are a paedophile, who has for some time harboured sexual and morbid fantasies about young girls.''

The judge said Bridger had stored on his laptop ``not only images of pre-pubescent and pubescent girls but foul pornography of the gross sexual abuse of young children. ``What prompted you on Monday October 1 to live out one of those fantasies is a matter for speculation, but it may have been a combination of the ending of one sexual relationship and your drinking. 

``Whatever, you set out to find a little girl to abuse. I am not sure you targeted April specifically - it was probably fortuitous that she can be seen on some of the images which you stored on your laptop of her older sister - but you were on the prowl for a young girl.''