Shropshire Star

April Jones's killer Mark Bridger tried to groom her sister

The sister of murdered April Jones says her killer Mark Bridger tried to groom her the year before he killed the schoolgirl.

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April Jones and killer Mark Bridger

Jazmin Jones was just 15 when Bridger, from Ceinws, near Machynlleth, sent her friend requests and messages on Facebook, pretending to be a friend of her parents.

Parents Paul, 46, and Coral, 43, warned Jazmin to stay away from Bridger but at the time they were not significantly worried enough to tell the police.

Grieving Jazmin said she thinks Bridger tried to groom her as part of a twisted "masterplan".

Bridger snatched April from outside her home on the Bryn y Gog estate in Machynlleth,and murdered her three years ago on Thursday.

Blood and fragments of her skull were found at his home but he still refuses to say what he did with the rest of her body.

Jazmin said: "He targeted me on Facebook and then downloaded photos of me with friends and with April.

"He spoke to me in the street and he must've known what he was planning. Sometimes I think why my family? Why April?

"April was in the wrong place at the wrong time so it was her and not me that paid the ultimate price for his sick fantasies."

She added: "I had no idea how public my profile and all of my photos were. Even thought I declined his request, he could still get to my pictures.

"He was looking at child porn on his laptop and he sent my a friend request at only 15 - but he didn't have a record for abusing children so there's no way anyone could have known what he would do.

"He had what he was going to do in his head and he was waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

"No young girl in our town was safe from him. In the end he took the opportunity with April.

"I am just glad he is in jail for the rest of his life and can't ever hurt another young girl again."

Bridger was handed a life sentence for killing April at Mold Crown Court in May 2013.

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