The man convicted of killing the five-year-old was attacked in prison for a second time

Five-year-old April Jones disappeared near her home in 2012 (file image) (Image: SWNS)
The older sister of April Jones has said she wants the man convicted of taking the five-year-old’s life to suffer after he was attacked in prison.

April disappeared while playing just yards from her home in Machynlleth, Powys in Wales in October 2012. Despite a massive search effort, her body has still not been found.

Mark Bridger was found guilty of child abduction, murder, perverting justice and the unlawful concealment and disposal of a body and was given a whole-life term in 2013.

Bridger rented a flat near where the abduction took place and fragments of April’s body were discovered at Bridger’s cottage. Most of her remains were never found.

Almost 14 years after her death, April’s older sister Hazel Jones, now 31, has spoken on the horror of losing her sister.

“It’s been 13 years now and it’s still not actually sunk in. I still don’t believe it. I don’t know whether I don’t want to believe it but I just don’t believe it happened to us. I’m still waiting to wake up from this nightmare,” Hazel told MailOnline.

Hazel said she believes Bridger should be made to “suffer” as he serves his life sentence. In 2025, Bridger was attacked by another inmate at HMP Wakefield.

Mark Bridger leaves court after being given a whole life sentence (file image) (Image: PA)

Bridger was attacked in prison for a second time last month.

“He deserves everything he’s getting. He literally deserves it all,” Hazel said after hearing about the second attack on Bridger behind bars.

“The death penalty is an easy way out. He didn’t give April an easy way out did he? Make him suffer, make him live every day because he’s not coming out. Make him live in fear.”