The father of the murdered Machynlleth schoolgirl April Jones has died following a brain disease.
Family announced the passing of Paul Jones at age 55 this week after contracting a serious brain disease seven years ago.
Paul’s daughter, five-year-old April, was abducted near her home in Machynlleth in 2012 and murdered by paedophile Mark Bridger.
Paul’s family announced he had passed away unexpectedly in the early hours of Tuesday 13 May.
His step-daughter Jazmin Jones broke the news, writing: “It is with broken hearts that my brother and I wish to let people know our dad (Paul Jones) passed away in the early hours of 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.”
On 1 October 2012 April went missing from the Bryn y Gog estate, triggering the biggest missing person search in UK history.
Then Prime Minister David Cameron made a personal appeal amidst a search involving an estimated 150 officers a day, countless volunteers, helicopters, kayakers, RNLI boats, police dogs and 100 mountain rescuers.
Bridger was found guilty of April’s murder in May 2013 and sentenced to life imprisonment and a whole life tariff, meaning he will die behind bars.
Bridger, 46 at the time, had refused to give up the location of April’s remains, though fragments of her skull were found in his fireplace.
Police speculate that she was dismembered and scattered around the countryside near Bridger’s cottage.
Investigators found a cache of child porn on his computer, including pictures of April and other local children.
The Jones family went on to campaign publicly to have April’s Law recognised, in which sex offenders would be kept on the public register for life, tougher measures to prevent images of child sexual abuse online and increase sentences for child sexual abusers.
In 2018 Paul Jones contracted a severe brain condition called encephalitis, which can cause swelling in the brain.
However it also caused Paul to forget what happened to April.
April’s mother Coral Jones then had to break the news of April’s death to him again, as she explained to a Sunday newspaper: “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."
Remembering Paul Jones, his friend Allan Hughes, wrote a tribute on social media: “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 Penarcau and had many adventures.
“Now you'll be reunited with April and your mam.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all the family.”