Police right to name suspect

You also mentioned the comments of Chris Jefferies, who said all information should be kept secret until they are charged.

I remember reading the vilification of Chris Jefferies in the press, over the disappearance of Joanna Yeates in Bristol and when her body was found, just outside Bristol.

Chris Jefferies’ character and reputation was ruined and he rightly won substantial damages for the allegations made against him.

However, I feel that this time, Mark Bridger’s name has not been vilified, as presumably the media are aware what could happen if they go down that route. In this instance, Mark Bridger was named as the police were doing their utmost to try and find April Jones. To do that, Mark Bridger’s name was released and the police were asking for the public to help them identify his movements from the time April disappeared to the time he was arrested.

We now know that April still has not been found and that Mark Bridger has been charged with her murder, but had she been found, it would have justified releasing his name. Finding April (hopefully alive) was the sole aim.

Just imagine the outcry had his name not been released and with hindsight they could have been successful in finding April.

It was made clear that Mark Bridger had been arrested on suspicion, until the time he was actually charged.

It has been a terrible time for April’s family, friends and the people of Machynlleth, but I feel the police were right to confirm what they did as it could have been the key to finding April, and possibly alive.

Within hours of April’s disappearance, Facebook was flooded with messages of her disappearance and it showed the benefit of this social networking site. But it’s so sad that as I type this, she still hasn’t been found, despite all the hard work by the police and volunteers, over the last few days.

ANDREW C. LYE Johnston