Assuming he does not get charged .........

[Mick-Talbot]

Where does Mark Bridger go when released?

[ummmm]

Vicasso - that's different. The media named Mr Jefferies, not the police.

[Barmaid]

Alba - he has not been charged yet. He's been arrested on suspicion of murder. The police have until 5pm to release him or charge him. However, I suspect we shall know at 3pm since there is going to be a press conference.

[NOX]

Well I for one am not at all sure he's the man they want. Fiirstly the initial description of the vehicle was it was a white or pale grey van and his is a dark blue discovery. Secondly apparently all the kids around there know him because his own kids live there, so why didn't the little one who was a witness say ' she got into so and so's dad's car' and thirdly he appeared to be acting perfectly normally in the run up to the abduction going to parent's evening etc, so unless he's an opportunist psycho it makes no sense and if he is then why then, why not some time when there are no witnesses about? I have a feeling this may be entirely the wrong person tbh, but not having all the facts obviously might be very wrong.

[ummmm]

They must have some sort of info to keep him for so long.

[anneasquith]

hi nox., do you really think the police have ' the wrong person in custody ?

[NOX]

Generally once the police have you for anything serious they will keep you for as long as they possibly can and then possibly rearrest you for something else. I hope they have got some info on him and they aren't barking up the wrong tree tbh.

[NOX]

Anne, I actually am genuinely worried that they might have, yes, but not having all the info they have obviously can't make a truly informed decision on that.

[Barmaid]

In a case like this, they will often leave the charge right up to the very last minute because once a suspect has been charged he can't be questioned again. When Steve Wright was charged with the murders in Ipswich, they held til almost the last minute they could.

[ummmm]

That makes sense.

I didn't realise that they couldn't question them again.

[Mick-Talbot]

What puzzles me, is this ... the police will have a group of suspects even without any evidence of any wrong doing concerning this particular case ..... ...Mark Bridger seems to have been on that list.

Why?

[Mick-Talbot]

Anne, I actually am genuinely worried that they might have, yes,


Nox, the best thing about that though is, April could still be alive.

[Sqad]

Barmaid......that is quite interesting.

So, if new evidence comes to the fore AFTER he has been charged, then the police cannot question him about the "new evidence."

[Brenden]

I thought the two suspects in the Stephen Lawrence case were charged again years later for the same crime - probably with additional evidence.

[ummmm]

Yes, but wasn't the law changed so you could rearrest someone for the same crime if new evidence came to light? Before, if you were found not guilty that was the end of matters.

[Brenden]

It certainly was ummmm.

[Barmaid]

That is the general rule Sqad - there are 2 exceptions.

First, the person may be questioned if an officer wishes to bring to his notice any written statement made by another person or the content of an interview with another person. In such a case, the officer must hand to the accused a true copy of any such statement or interview record, but he must not do or say anything to invite any reply or comment, except to caution him (Code C, para. 16.4).

Secondly where an interview is necessary for the purpose of preventing or minimising harm or loss to some other person or to the public, to clear up an ambiguity in a previous answer or statement, or where it is in the interests of justice that the person should have put to him and should have an opportunity to comment on information concerning the offence which has come to light since he was charged or informed that he may be prosecuted.

So yes if NEW evidence comes to light, it can be put to him but questions based on already existing evidence are generally not put.

[Sqad]

Thanks darling!

[sandyRoe]

There were 4 elderly brothers who had been abusing children for years in a remote NI village. One committed suicide and the others found refuge in a mental hospital.

[anotheoldgit]

Tend to agree with NOX on this one, who makes some interesting points ie the neighbourhood kids who witnessed little April getting into a vehicle, actually knowing him.

Perhaps he was on the police's sex offenders list, so that is why he was immediately picked up? I suspect that there is going to be a 'twist in the tail' to this case.

I can only hope that there is a somewhat happy ending to all this, and the little girl is found being held by someone for some reason.

[anneasquith]

slightly of topic, but is april's father living at the family home ?