Blood and bone fragments were found at the home of the man Mark Bridger accused of murdering April Jones, a court has heard.

Prosecutors in the trial of Mark Bridger said he admits he “probably killed” the five-year-old but cannot remember how.

The suspected killer claims he ran over April before putting her body in his car. But he says he cannot remember what happened next because of “a combination of drink, adrenalin and raw panic”.

The prosecution also claims his actions were sexually motivated, and that he was interested in child pornography and had images of April and other local girls on his computer.

The 47-year-old suspect is on trial at Mold Crown Court accused of abducting and murdering the five-year-old and then playing a “cruel game” in an attempt to cover his tracks.

Outlining the case for the prosecution, Elwen Evans QC said April’s blood was found in the living room and hallway of Bridger’s home, as well as a boning knife and fragments of burnt bone which experts said could have come from a child’s skull.

April vanished while playing on her bike near her home in Machynlleth, North Wales, on October 1 last year and her body has never been found.

Miss Evans told the jury that Bridger was seen putting April in his Land Rover. He claims he intended to take her for medical help but instead just drove her around.

She said: “It’s the defendant’s case that he admits that he drove her away. He admits that April is dead. He accepts that he killed her or probably killed her.

“He accepts that he must have got rid of her body.”

But Miss Evans said Bridger has not told police where the body is, claiming he cannot remember.

“He has played, we say, a cruel game in pretending not to know what he has done to her,” she added.

Mark Bridger, wearing a light blue short-sleeved shirt and striped tie, sat staring ahead as he listened to the evidence. A large snake tattoo could be seen on his left forearm and he wore headphones to help him hear the proceedings.

The disappearance of April, who had cerebral palsy, sparked a massive outpouring of support for her family, with hundreds of people joining the search.

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

Miss Evans, continuing her opening speech to the jury, said: “April’s body is lost to us. We have had to look elsewhere for evidence of what this defendant did to her.”

The jury were told they will hear eyewitness accounts and be told of phone, CCTV and DNA evidence from his house.

They were shown maps and photos of where April lived ahead of a site visit later in the week.

They would also hear about some of the defendant’s “interests”, based on analysis of his computer use,  including child pornography, rape and murder.

Miss Evans said analysis of Bridger’s computer use showed “context and motive” for his behaviour towards April.

She said: “His computer, it shows this is a man who has a clear interest in child pornography and in child murder cases.

“I’m afraid we will have to view examples together, to give you a picture of what was on that computer.

“The images depict adults having sex with girls, some consensual, some non-consensual.”

Miss Evans added: “In addition to child pornography and photos of young girls, the defendant also had an interest in child murder and rape cases; for example, images of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman from the Soham case.

“Why will you need to consider this sort of material?

“You will have to decide whether pretty five-year-old April was abducted and murdered or run over by accident and killed, as the defendant says.

“We say his interest in pornography, young girls, rape and murder cases is all too relevant and you may see it as the key to understanding what he did and why he did what he did.”

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