Chris Jefferies, 65, Joanna Yeates former landlord and retired English teacher, has spoken for the first time about being wrongly arrested and accused.
As news emerged confirming that Vincent Tabak was the main suspect of killing Joanna Yeates, after he admitted her manslaughter, all the accusations against Mr Jefferies disappeared from the media.
But before 33 year-old Tabak's confession, Mr Jefferies was being wrongly accused by many tabloids of killing his tenant Jo Yeates. Even though the tabloids had no reason to accuse him, apart from their own perception that Mr Jefferies was a "strange" and "eccentric" man, the police arrested Mr Jefferies following Jo Yeates disappearance.
Now that the murder trial is under go and Vincent Tabak is the only suspect, Mr Jefferies feels more comfortable to talk about it and he gave an exclusive interview to the Financial Times magazine. Among other statements, the former landlord said:
"My identity has been violated. My privacy had been intruded upon, I don't think it would be too strong a word to say it was a kind of rape that had taken place. I had no suspicion whatsoever that I might be considered a suspect".
Mr Jefferies has received libel damages and a public apology from eight national newspapers, following their wrongdoings over the coverage of Joanna Yeates murder. The papers are The Sun, Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, Daily Mail, Daily Star, Daily Express, Daily Record, and the Scotsman.
*Picture from The Guardian website.
http://www.blottr.com/bristol/breaking-news/former-suspect-jo-yeates-murder-speaks
