Latest news with #JazzJones
Sky News
14-05-2025
- Sky News
April Jones: Tributes paid to murdered schoolgirl's father after 'unexpected' death
Tributes have been paid to the father of murdered schoolgirl April Jones who has died suddenly aged 55. April, who was five years old at the time of her death, was taken from outside her home in Machynlleth, mid Wales, in October 2012. She was murdered by paedophile Mark Bridger, who was sentenced to a whole life tariff. April's father Paul Jones contracted a brain disease in 2018, six years after the death of his daughter. Announcing his death on Tuesday, Mr Jones's stepdaughter Jazz Jones said: "It is with broken hearts that my brother and I wish to let people know our dad (Paul Jones) passed away early hours this morning." Miss Jones said his death was "very unexpected" and the family were "all in shock". She asked for privacy as the family mourned the loss of Mr Jones. In a social media post, family friend Allan Hughes described Mr Jones as "a truly amazing friend". "A lot of you knew him as the father of poor April Jones who was taken from us in 2012," he said. "But myself and many more know him from being a great dad, son, brother and friend, also as part of the family." He said Mr Jones would now be "reunited with April and [his] mam" and added that his "thoughts and prayers" were with his family. After Mr Jones contracted the brain condition encephalitis in 2018, he suffered memory loss. He had to learn of his daughter's death for a second time after he was diagnosed with the condition.
BBC News
14-05-2025
- BBC News
Father of murdered April Jones dies suddenly of brain disease
The father of a five-year-old girl who was murdered in 2012 has died suddenly at the age of 55, his family has Jones was diagnosed with a brain disease in 2018, six years after the death of his daughter April was abducted from near her home in Machynlleth, Powys, and murdered by paedophile Mark Jones' stepdaughter, Jazz Jones, said on Tuesday: "It is with broken hearts that my brother and I wish to let people know our dad (Paul Jones) passed away early hours this morning." "It was very unexpected and we are all in shock."Harley and myself will update people with further information as we know more but please give us our privacy to mourn our loss."April went missing on 1 October 2012 but despite the biggest police search in British history, her body has never been Jones campaigned for tougher rules around the use of children's images online as well as supporting other families of missing people and urging potential abusers to seek friend Allan Hughes described Mr Jones as "amazing"."A lot of you knew him as the father of poor April Jones who was taken from us in 2012," he said in a post on social media."But myself and many more know him from being a great dad, son, brother and friend, also as part of the family."We grew up together in Penparcau and had many adventures."Now you will be reunited with April and your mam. Rest now peacefully Paul Jones. Our thoughts and prayers are with all the family." Mr Jones suffered memory loss after contracting the brain condition encephalitis in 2018 and had to learn for a second time of his daughter's mother, Coral Jones, told a Sunday newspaper how her husband had recognised the youngster in family photos used to jog his memory."He asked, 'what happened to April?' I had to tell him she was no longer with us and that she'd been killed."He broke down. It was an awful conversation because he was so emotional and it was so hard for me to speak about it."Bridger, who was convicted of April's murder, child abduction and perverting the course of justice, refused to tell police what he had done with the youngster's body - although officers did recover fragments of her skull from his former lifeguard was sentenced to a whole life tariff, meaning he will die behind bars.
The Independent
14-05-2025
- The Independent
Paul Jones: Tributes as father of murdered schoolgirl April Jones dies suddenly
Paul Jones, the father of murdered schoolgirl April Jones, has died suddenly at the age of 55. Mr. Jones passed away from a brain disease he contracted in 2018, adding another layer of tragedy to a family already grappling with immense grief. His daughter, five-year-old April, was abducted from outside her home in Machynlleth, mid Wales, in October 2012. Paedophile Mark Bridger was later convicted of her murder, though April's body was never recovered. The case gripped the nation, sparking a massive search effort and an outpouring of support for the Jones family. The news of Mr. Jones's death was announced on Tuesday by his stepdaughter, Jazz Jones. This latest loss compounds the family's enduring heartache following April's tragic disappearance and murder. 'It is with broken hearts that my brother and I wish to let people know our dad (Paul Jones) passed away early hours this morning,' she said. 'It was very unexpected and we are all in shock. 'Harley and myself will update people with further information as we know more but please give us our privacy to mourn our loss.' Family friend Allan Hughes said in a post on social media: 'Just heard of the sad passing of a truly amazing friend Paul Jones in the early hours of Tuesday morning. 'A lot of you knew him as the father of poor April Jones who was taken from us in 2012. 'But myself and many more know him from being a great dad, son, brother and friend, also as part of the family. 'We grew up together in Penparcau and had many adventures. 'Now you will be reunited with April and your mam. Rest now peacefully Paul Jones. Our thoughts and prayers are with all the family.' Mr Jones suffered memory loss after contracting the brain condition encephalitis in 2018 and had to learn for a second time of his daughter's death. April's mother, Coral Jones, told the Sunday People newspaper how her husband had recognised the youngster in family photos used to jog his memory. 'He asked, 'What happened to April?' I had to tell him she was no longer with us and that she'd been killed. 'He broke down. It was an awful conversation because he was so emotional and it was so hard for me to speak about it.' Bridger, who was convicted of April's murder, child abduction and perverting the course of justice, refused to tell police what he had done with the youngster's body – although officers did recover fragments of her skull from his fireplace. The former lifeguard was sentenced to a whole life tariff, meaning he will die behind bars.
Daily Record
14-05-2025
- Daily Record
Dad of murdered schoolgirl April Jones dies without finding daughter's body
Paul Jones' stepdaughter Jazz Jones confirmed the tragic news on Tuesday. The father of murdered schoolgirl April Jones has tragically died without ever finding his daughter's body. Paul Jones had contracted a brain disease in 2018, six years after April was snatched near the family home in Machynlleth, Wales. The 55-year-old passed away from his condition in the early hours of Tuesday, May 13. His five-year-old daughter's abduction on October 1, 2012 saw a huge search launched, with hundreds of volunteers joining police and rescue teams. However, despite hours of searching and a personal appeal from then-Prime Minister David Cameron, her body was never recovered. Enquiries later resulted in the arrest of Mark Bridger, 46, who was eventually jailed for abducting and murdering the youngster, reports the Mirror. In an announcement made following Paul's death, his stepdaughter Jazz Jones said: "It is with broken hearts that my brother and I wish to let people know our dad (Paul Jones) passed away early hours this morning. It was very unexpected and we are all in shock. "Harley and myself will update people with further information as we know more but please give us our privacy to mourn our loss." Speaking to The Sun, Jazz, 29, said: "It's only been 24 hours, it's a lot to get our head around. As a family we're heartbroken, but we're still trying to process the fact that dad has passed away, so we're not sharing any information on his death out of respect for him." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. On the day April disappeared, she had friends at the house for dinner, and asked to take one home on her bike. Her mum Coral agreed, telling her to "come straight back". She never returned, and was seen by eyewitnesses getting into a car near the family home. Local man Mark Bridger was arrested the following day, as he matched the description of the man people had seen talking to April and driving her away in his car. Three days later, on October 5, police officially opened a murder inquiry, despite there not being a body.
The Sun
14-05-2025
- The Sun
Dad of murdered 5-year-old April Jones dies after long health battle having never found tragic girl's body
THE FATHER of murdered schoolgirl April Jones had tragically died - 12 years on from his daughter's heinous abduction. Paul Jones, 55, died in hospital after a long battle with a brain disease he contracted in 2018 - six years after April was kidnapped while playing outside in Machynlleth, Wales in 2012. 10 The five-year-old's disappearance shocked the nation and a manhunt led to the arrest of evil Mark Bridger. Fragments of bone from a human skull were found in Bridger's fireplace. The vile killer was found guilty of April's abduction and murder and jailed for life. Despite one of the biggest searches in police history, April's body was never found and cops think Bridger disposed of her remains in the countryside near his home. Paul, a fitness enthusiast, had been training for a triathlon when he contracted encephalitis. In the years leading up to his death he stayed in a specialist hospital unit in Swansea, south Wales. Paul's step-daughter, Jazz Jones, announced his tragic passing on Tuesday. She said: "It is with broken hearts that my brother and I wish to let people know our dad (Paul Jones) passed away early hours this morning. It was very unexpected and we are all in shock. "Harley and myself will update people with further information as we know more but please give us our privacy to mourn our loss." The 29-year-old said she is 'heartbroken' over his death and the family still processing his loss. Family's heartbreaking final words to murdered April Jones are revealed 10 years after five-year-old was abducted 'It was very unexpected and we are all in shock,' she told Sun Online. 'It's only been 24 hours, it's a lot to get our head around. 'As a family we're heartbroken, but we're still trying to process the fact that dad has passed away, so we're not sharing any information on his death out of respect for him. 'Dad didn't want any media attention towards the end, he wanted his privacy, and as a family we need time to grieve.' 10 10 10 Jazz previously made headlines when she said that she never wanted to know what her sister's killer did to April. She said: "When you lose someone anyway, it's an emotional time but losing someone like this where you don't know what's happened, you haven't got anything to bury, you haven't got anything to say goodbye to, your entire world just falls apart. "At first I was really angry because I just wanted to say goodbye. "But then, I got to the point when I was like, he's never gonna say anything so I don't know why I'm keeping my hopes up … there's no point in giving … my time or energy about it. It's just not worth it." April vanished on October 1, 2012, when she was last seen getting into a stranger's car near her home in Machynlleth, Wales. Local and national papers reported on her disappearance, whilst police scoured the surrounding area but the youngster was never found. David Cameron even made an appeal, whilst a search efforts continued in Wales. Bridger, who was 46-years-old at the time, was arrested just a day after her disappearance - since he matched the description of the mysterious driver. Who is Mark Bridger? Mark Bridger abducted and murdered five-year-old April Jones in 2012. The former abattoir worker went to prison for his horrific crimes and is serving a life sentence. He was born in Carshalton, Surrey on November 6, 1965 and was just 19 when he had his first run-in with the law. He pleaded guilty to firearms offences, theft, attempted theft, and deception. That was to be the first of many convictions throughout his life. He was convicted of driving offences and assaults before he moved from England to Wales. He fathered six children by four different women. One woman he dated was Elaine Griffiths and they had two children together. Elaine's sister Karen dated Paul Jones and they had two children before Paul met Coral and had April. April's disappearance and murder April disappeared near her home in Machynlleth on October 1, 2012. She was seen getting into a vehicle in the area on the day of her disappearance. Eyewitnesses saw April talking with a man before climbing into a Land Rover Discovery with him and driving off. After fitting the description of the man seen talking with April, Mark Bridger was arrested for her abduction. After his initial arrest, the police found a large collection of child abuse images on Bridger's personal computer. A large search operation was then conducted by the police and search teams in the hope of finding April. After an extensive search for April provided no insight into her whereabouts, police officially turned the case into a murder inquiry on October 5, 2012. Just a day later, on October 6, Bridger was charged with child abduction, murder, and attempting to pervert the course of justice. He was additionally charged with the unlawful concealment and disposal of a body on October 8. On January 14, 2013, at Mold Crown Court, Bridger pleaded not guilty to the charge of murdering April Jones but accepted that he was "probably responsible" for her death. Mold Crown Court heard from a forensic expert that human bones and blood matching April's DNA were found in areas of Bridger's home. He claimed that he had accidentally run April over with his car and could not remember disposing of her body due to heavy drinking and panicking about what he had done. His trial began on April 29, 2013, and on 30 May 2013, Bridger was found guilty of abduction, murder, and perverting the course of justice. He was sentenced to life in prison with a recommendation that he should never be released by the Judge. Despite his conviction, the whereabouts of April's body remain unknown. Bridger was last reported to have been moved to HMP Wakefield in Yorkshire, where he is defined as a Category A prisoner - the most dangerous in the country. On January 14, 2013, he pled not guilty to a slew of charges including child abduction, murder and perverting the course of justice. However, he did admit that he was "probably responsible" for April's death. When fragments of bone and traces of blood matching April's DNA were found at his home, Bridger changed his story. He claimed that he had hit April with his car and, being intoxicated, could not remember dumping her body. However, he was found guilty of abduction, murder and perverting the course of justice and was handed a whole life sentence. The severity of his crime led to the toughening sentences for sex offenders. My sister April Jones was killed by evil predator when she was just five - our family's suffering will never end By Will Potter THE sister of murdered schoolgirl April Jones previously spoke out about her family's suffering since her death - and how it would never end. April's older sister Jazmin, 27, chillingly spoke of how monster Mark Bridger attempted to communicate with her before he abducted the youngster in 2012. Speaking in a documentary which aired on Channel 4 in December 2022, Jazz, then 27, said: "When she went, the whole thing just collapsed. "Our family was fractured. Things are better now but, from that night, I didn't have a mother. I had just lost my sister, and then I lost my mother too. "I had to grow up overnight. I was on my own, really, trying to look after my little brother (just ten at the time), trying to help my dad." Speaking to the documentary, Jazmin's mum Coral spoke of the devastating impact of Bridger's heinous crime. "He abused her," he says. "They found her DNA in his pants. Then we think he chopped her up and burnt her, after whatever he did to her." Jazmin said that although the details of the crime were unthinkable, she feels she needed to learn what happened to her sister to try and cope with the loss. "I needed those answers," she said. "When you don't have them you go to the worst-case scenario — what you are imagining is so terrible that anything is better than that." She revealed that just a year before April's murder, Bridger had attempted to communicate with her on Facebook. Following his arrest, the predator was found to have downloaded disturbing images of children, some pornographic, alongside photographs of April and Jazz. She said he had tried to add her on Facebook, leading to questions over his potential obsession with the two and his targeting of April. "It makes my skin crawl," she said. "I don't want to think about it. I want to believe she was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but if that was the case, I would have swapped places with her a million times over. I would have taken her place." 10 10 10
