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Joanna Yeates murder: police apologise to landlord Christopher Jefferies wins apology over Joanna Yeates murder arrest
(about 3 hours later)
The landlord of the murdered landscape architect Joanna Yeates has received a letter from police expressing "regret" for the first time at the way he was treated after being arrested over her killing. Police have insisted they were right to arrest the landlord of the murdered landscape architect Joanna Yeates over her death but have apologised for not making it clear sooner that he was innocent.
Christopher Jefferies hailed what he described as "public vindication" from Avon and Somerset police over its handling of his detention, bail and subsequent release without charge after the death of the 25-year-old in December 2010. The retired public school teacher Christopher Jefferies was arrested and questioned for two days after the body of 25-year-old Yeates was found on Christmas Day in 2010.
The "letter of exoneration expressing regret" from the chief constable, Nick Gargan – who met Jefferies last Friday – acknowledged the "hurt" caused to the 68-year-old retired teacher when the force failed to clear him publicly of suspicion over Yeates's murder when releasing him from bail in March 2011. His arrest prompted lurid headlines and though the real killer, Vincent Tabak, was charged with Yeates's murder three weeks later, Jefferies remained on police bail until March 2011.
Jefferies said: "It provides an important conclusion to the whole aftermath of what I had to go through following my arrest. As the letter itself explains it provides the public vindication which was not given at the time I was released from police bail. The chief constable of Avon and Somerset police, Nick Gargan, said arresting Jefferies was an "integral step" in the inquiry but accepted that once Jefferies was released from bail, the force should have considered making it clear in public he was innocent.
"Although the letter is addressed to me and is therefore expressing regret at what I had to endure, the letter also implicitly provides the public acceptance that the events didn't just affect me but affected a large circle of my relatives and friends." Gargan, who was not in post at the time of the saga, apologised for the suffering Jefferies endured because police did not acknowledge as soon as his bail was cancelled that he had nothing to do with Yeates's death.
Jefferies was arrested on 30 December 2010 and questioned by detectives for two days before being bailed after Yeates was found dead on Christmas Day. Jefferies welcomed Gargan's move. He said: "It provides an important conclusion to the whole aftermath of what I had to go through following my arrest. It provides the public vindication which was not given at the time I was released from police bail."
The Dutch national Vincent Tabak, who lived next door to her and her boyfriend Greg Reardon, 27, at 44 Canynge Road, Bristol, was jailed for life in October 2011 for her murder. He said his arrest and time on bail had caused "extraordinary turmoil and distress" and called for the law to be changed so that suspects are not named until after they are charged with a crime. He said he had not been able to return to his home during the time he spent on bail.
Jefferies won damages from eight newspapers over stories about him after his arrest. In a letter to Jefferies, Gargan, who joined the force in March, said: "I accept unequivocally that you played no part in the murder and that you are wholly innocent of the crime."
As well as paying damages to the former Clifton College teacher, the publishers of the Mirror and the Sun were respectively fined £50,000 and £18,000, plus legal costs, after being found guilty of contempt of court.
During Tabak's trial it was revealed the killer had implicated Jefferies by phoning the police and making false claims.
Gargan joined Avon and Somerset from the National Policing Improvement Agency in March, replacing Colin Port, who was in charge at the time of the murder.
In his letter to Jefferies, Gargan said the pensioner's arrest was an "integral step" in the investigation, but added: "I accept unequivocally that you played no part in the murder and that you are wholly innocent of the crime."
He added: "I understand the length of time you spent on police bail caused you significant distress and inevitably prolonged the period of time when you remained in the public eye as someone who was still suspected of involvement in an appalling crime.He added: "I understand the length of time you spent on police bail caused you significant distress and inevitably prolonged the period of time when you remained in the public eye as someone who was still suspected of involvement in an appalling crime.
"The police did not make it clear publicly that you were no longer a suspect in the investigation as soon as you were released from bail on 5 March 2011. "The police did not make it clear publicly that you were no longer a suspect in the investigation as soon as you were released from bail on 5 March 2011.
"While it is not normal practice to make such a public statement, in the circumstances of the exceptional media attention your arrest attracted I acknowledge we should have considered this and I am very sorry for the suffering you experienced as a result." "While it is not normal practice to make such a public statement, in the circumstances of the exceptional media attention your arrest attracted, I acknowledge we should have considered this and I am very sorry for the suffering you experienced as a result."
He also said that all DNA, fingerprints and photographs taken of Jefferies after his arrest had been destroyed. He also said that all DNA, fingerprints and photographs taken from Jefferies after his arrest had been destroyed.
In a statement, Gargan said the force stood by the decision to arrest the landlord. In a statement Gargan said the force stood by the decision to arrest the landlord.
"The media attention and vilification to which Christopher Jefferies was subjected during the Joanna Yeates murder investigation was unprecedented, and I understand how difficult it must have been for him," he said. "The media attention and vilification to which Christopher Jefferies was subjected during the Joanna Yeates murder investigation was unprecedented, and I understand how difficult it must have been for him," he said. "It was a complex investigation, carried out under the most intense public scrutiny and the investigating officer had to pursue every reasonable line of inquiry.
"It was a complex investigation, carried out under the most intense public scrutiny and the investigating officer had to pursue every reasonable line of enquiry.
"Although I was not chief constable then, I stand by the decision taken at the time to arrest and interview Christopher Jefferies."Although I was not chief constable then, I stand by the decision taken at the time to arrest and interview Christopher Jefferies.
"Nevertheless I am happy to accede to his request that we should make it clear that he was completely exonerated in this investigation."Nevertheless I am happy to accede to his request that we should make it clear that he was completely exonerated in this investigation.
"This is an unusual step to take but these were exceptional circumstances. "This is an unusual step to take but these were exceptional circumstances. I had a private meeting with Mr Jefferies on Friday and hope to use his experience to inform our serious crime investigations in the future."
"I had a private meeting with Mr Jefferies on Friday and hope to use his experience to inform our serious crime investigations in the future." The former teacher was arrested on 30 December 2010 and questioned by detectives for two days before being bailed.
The Dutch national Tabak, who lived next door to Yeates and her boyfriend, Greg Reardon, in Clifton, Bristol, was charged on 22 January 2011 and jailed for life in October 2011 for her murder. During his trial it emerged that after Jefferies's arrest, Tabak had contacted police and tried to frame his landlord.
Jefferies won damages from eight newspapers over stories about him after his arrest. The publishers of the Mirror and the Sun were fined for contempt of court over their coverage.
Jefferies gave evidence at the Leveson inquiry into press standards, with its final report saying reporting around the former teacher's arrest had been "unbalanced, prejudicial and wildly inaccurate" and calling him "the victim of a very serious injustice perpetrated by a significant section of the press".Jefferies gave evidence at the Leveson inquiry into press standards, with its final report saying reporting around the former teacher's arrest had been "unbalanced, prejudicial and wildly inaccurate" and calling him "the victim of a very serious injustice perpetrated by a significant section of the press".
Jefferies also released a letter on Monday, sent to him by Port in January 2012, denying Jefferies's name had been deliberately released to the media. The landlord is now co-operating with the making of a television drama about his experience being created by Peter Morgan, the writer of The Queen starring Helen Mirren.
It was sent after the Daily Mirror editor, Richard Wallace, told the Leveson inquiry police had given off-the-record briefings in which they appeared confident that Jefferies "was their man". Gargan's letter to Jefferies is part of a legal settlement with the police, which has included Jefferies being paid some compensation for damage caused to his property.
In the letter, referred to by Jefferies in his Leveson witness statement, Port said the editor's evidence was "untrue", adding: "There was an inadvertent disclosure of your name following news reports naming you but as soon as we discovered this had taken place we made it clear to the journalist the information should not have been released and should not be used."
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