JOANNA YEATES BOYFRIEND’S TORMENT OVER VISIT TO NEWBORN NIECES

Joanna Yeates' boyfriend, Greg Reardon.

Wednesday January 12,2011

By Padraic Flanagan

THE boyfriend of Joanna Yeates has been left in torment after she was abducted and murdered while he was visiting his newborn twin nieces, it emerged last night.

Friends of Greg Reardon, 27, said that the architect has suffered “an unbearable rollercoaster of emotion” since Joanna was strangled.

They said he has gone from the height of joy at meeting babies Alice and Beth to the depths of despair.

He returned home to Bristol to discover Joanna was missing from their flat. Her snow-covered body was found three miles away a week later on Christmas Day, dumped by the side of a quiet country lane.

Greg and 25-year-old Joanna – who worked at the same firm – had moved into the new flat in the city’s smart Clifton district two months before.

They had been so busy making their new home together that Greg had not had chance to visit his brother Frank, 33, and his wife Helen since she had given birth to the twins in September.

But friends said Greg was determined to make the trip to Sheffield to see the babies before Christmas.

He set off through the snow on December 17 leaving Joanna behind to make mince pies and do last- minute Christmas shopping.

But that night the landscape architect vanished after returning from an after-work drink with colleagues.

Neighbours heard screams from her flat at 9pm – by which time Greg is believed to have been with his family 140 miles away. When he returned 48 hours later, Joanna had disappeared.

Friends say he is so devastated that he has vowed never to return to Bristol because the memories are too painful.

Sharon Burns, 35, who has lived next to Frank for five years and is a close friend, said: “He must have been through a terrible time.

“Helen had twins in September. When Greg came to visit before Christmas it was the first time he had come to see them.’’

Another neighbour who saw Greg’s car parked outside his brother’s home that weekend said: “He must have been on top of the world seeing the twins for the first time. Then to be plunged into all this.

“His emotions have been pulled all over the place. What a rollercoaster. It must be unbearable.

“They’d seemed so happy. Both the lads are great skiers and Greg had his skis with him. They probably took advantage of the weather for a little fun.

“They are such a lovely family. It should have been a lovely weekend for them. It’s heart-breaking.’’

Last night chartered surveyor Helen said she couldn’t discuss the weekend. “We’ve spoken to the police and we don’t have anything else to say,’’ she said. “I’m sorry we can’t be of more help.’’

Police were last night trying to trace a car seen 24 hours after Joanna disappeared being driven slowly up and down the isolated road where her body was found.

A couple grew suspicious when the vehicle passed them four times and reported it to police, not knowing Joanna had vanished.

Police spokesman Martin Dunscombe said: “We take every piece of information we receive from the public seriously. This is one of many lines of inquiry we’ve pursued.’’

Two witnesses have reported seeing two men running from the same spot at 6.20am last Friday.

The sightings came 48 hours after police appealed for help finding Joanna’s missing ski sock.

Investigators have also ordered forensic tests, including DNA analysis, on crucial new evidence. Police have refused to say whether it was a pizza or its container.

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/222649/Joanna-Yeates-boyfriend-s-torment-over-visit-to-newborn-nieces