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| Christopher Jefferies wins apology over Joanna Yeates murder arrest | Christopher Jefferies wins apology over Joanna Yeates murder arrest |
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| 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. | 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. |
| 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 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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 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." | 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." |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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." | 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." |
| 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 from 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. "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. | "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. |
| "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. 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." | "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." |
| The former teacher was arrested on 30 December 2010 and questioned by detectives for two days before being bailed. | 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. | 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 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". |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
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