April Jones killer Mark Bridger drops sentence appeal

Mark Bridger was given a whole life sentence

April Jones's killer Mark Bridger has dropped his application for permission to appeal against his whole-life term.

The Judicial Office confirmed that Bridger, 47, had abandoned his attempt 11 days before a hearing was due to take place.

Bridger was convicted of murdering five-year-old April, from Machynlleth, Powys, last May.

The schoolgirl went missing from outside her home on 1 October 2012. Her body has never been found.

April's family have been informed of the decision.

Her grandfather Dai Smith said the news was a "weight off our minds".

He told BBC News: "I don't think he should have been allowed to appeal. He's done an horrific crime and he should spend the rest of his life in the prison.

April was murdered in October 2012

"That's it as far as I'm concerned. He should never be let out."

"It's a big relief to Paul and Coral and the whole family."

Mr Smith added he had "no doubts" about the validity of whole-life tariffs.

The hearing had been due at the Court of Appeal in London on 24 January.

Laptop

Bridger took April from outside her home in a sexually-motivated attack before murdering her and disposing of her body.

Blood and fragments of bone consistent with a young human skull were found at his home.

Child sex abuse images were found on his laptop, along with images of children from the area.

Bridger had claimed he had run over April in his car and could not remember where he disposed of her body.

His trial at Mold Crown Court lasted five weeks.

When sentencing Bridger, Mr Justice Griffith Williams 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."

Police believe Bridger dismembered April and dumped her body parts at locations in the hills, rivers and forests surrounding his home in Ceinws near Machynlleth.

Fewer than 50 other people in the UK have whole-life terms. They include the Moors murderer Ian Brady, who killed five children along with his accomplice Myra Hindley.