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Father of murdered girl April Jones dies suddenly

Matt Lloyd
BBC News
BBC Paul Jones on the left has dark hair and wears dark glasses, a a light coloured roll-neck jumper under a dark coat. To his right is a young girl with long brown hair and a dark hooded body-warmer and red jumper. To her right is a young boy with fair hair and dark body-warmer and red top. To his right is a woman with long dark hair, a green top under a dark body-warmer.BBC
Paul Jones, left, and his family struggled to recover from the death of April in 2012

The father of a five-year-old girl who was murdered in 2012 has died suddenly at the age of 55, his family has said.

Paul Jones was diagnosed with a brain disease in 2018, six years after the death of his daughter April Jones.

April was abducted from near her home in Machynlleth, Powys, and murdered by paedophile Mark Bridger.

Mr 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 found.

Mr 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 help.

Family 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."

PA Media A five year-old girl has blond hair and wears a pink polo-shirt in a rural playground.PA Media
April Jones was snatched while playing on her bicycle near her home

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 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 fireplace.

The former lifeguard was sentenced to a whole life tariff, meaning he will die behind bars.