Joanna Yeates' murder case: Why is landlord Chris Jefferies still a suspect?
Chris Jefferies remains a suspect in the Joanna Yeates murder case
Chris Jefferies, 66, was arrested on suspicion of murder on December 30 at his home in Canynge Road – the building he shared with landscape architect Miss Yeates.
Police obtained two extensions to keep Mr Jefferies detained for the maximum time limit but released him early on police bail, without charge, on January 1.
Another man, Miss Yeates' neighbour Vincent Tabak, was subsequently charged with her murder and appeared at Bristol Crown Court yesterday.
After Tabak was charged at the weekend, Inspector David Horwood, from Avon and Somerset police, said: "We're now considering the impact of the charge on other aspects of the investigation."
But despite Tabak's court appearance, police confirmed yesterday that Mr Jefferies has not had his police bail cancelled and he is therefore still a suspect.
David Wilson, professor of criminology and criminal justice at Birmingham City University, said it would be normal practice to release other suspects from bail following a charge.
Professor Wilson, who has researched many murderers, including serial killer Fred West, Soham murderer Ian Huntley, and Suffolk strangler Steven Wright, said: "I've not heard that the landlord Chris Jefferies has had his bail cancelled, which could be seen as significant.
"Now that they've charged Vincent Tabak it would make sense for police to cancel Mr Jefferies' bail – that would be normal procedure. I'd expect the police to act quickly to end any misunderstanding in relation to Mr Jefferies not being released from bail."
It was confirmed yesterday that the reconstruction of Miss Yeates' last known movements before she disappeared on December 17 has been dropped from BBC One show Crimewatch tonight.
Cameras had followed an actress recreating the 25-year-old landscape architect's journey from the Bristol Ram pub in Park Street to her home in Canynge Road, Clifton.
The footage, including the actress buying a pizza from the Tesco Express store in Regent Street, was to be aired on behalf of detectives investigating her killing in an attempt to jog the memory of witnesses.
But following the charging of Tabak with Miss Yeates' murder the film will no longer be shown.
A corporation spokesman said yesterday: "There'll be some reference to the Joanna Yeates case, but the reconstruction won't be shown. I'm afraid we don't have any more details at this stage, as it's all still being decided."
Dutchman Tabak yesterday appeared for a bail hearing at Bristol Crown Court where he learnt he would be remanded in custody until July 25.
He arrived from HMP Bristol at 9.55am for a ten-minute hearing under the Bail Act.
The 32-year-old, of Canynge Road, Clifton, is charged with the murder of his next-door neighbour Miss Yeates between December 16 and 26.
Tabak appeared in the dock of Court One clean shaven but wearing the same red jumper and grey trousers as he did at his first appearance before Bristol magistrates the day before.
The engineer, flanked by five security staff, spoke only to confirm his name and that he understood proceedings at their conclusion.
It was deemed he did not need the services of a Dutch interpreter who attended court, because he had good English and had worked in Bristol for a number of years. Both the public galleries were filled with reporters from newspapers and TV.
The Honourable Mr Justice Colman Treacy allowed an application from some members of the media to send instant updates on the case via internet messaging service Twitter, on the basis that no sensitive information would be aired.
Paul Cook, defending, made no bail application on behalf of his client.
Ann Reddrop, prosecuting, formally applied to remand Tabak in custody. She said: "The prosecution has set out their outline case in the papers.
Ms Reddrop explained the Crown's objections to bail being granted, and added: "In fairness to the defendant he is a man of good character in this country and also, as far as I am aware, in Holland."
The judge remanded Tabak in custody. He said Tabak was next due to appear at Bristol Crown Court on Monday, when he would review the application to use Twitter.
Tabak, 6ft 4in tall, tilted his head between the bullet-proof glass panels of the dock to hear what was being said.
Miss Yeates' parents David, 63, and Theresa, 58, did not attend the hearing. Neither did her boyfriend Greg Reardon, 27, who reported her missing after he returned home from a weekend in Sheffield on December 19 to find her purse, phone and house keys in the ground-floor flat but no sign of her. The body of Miss Yeates was found at the side of Longwood Lane, Failand, on Christmas Day.
Police obtained two extensions to keep Mr Jefferies detained for the maximum time limit but released him early on police bail, without charge, on January 1.
Another man, Miss Yeates' neighbour Vincent Tabak, was subsequently charged with her murder and appeared at Bristol Crown Court yesterday.
But despite Tabak's court appearance, police confirmed yesterday that Mr Jefferies has not had his police bail cancelled and he is therefore still a suspect.
David Wilson, professor of criminology and criminal justice at Birmingham City University, said it would be normal practice to release other suspects from bail following a charge.
Professor Wilson, who has researched many murderers, including serial killer Fred West, Soham murderer Ian Huntley, and Suffolk strangler Steven Wright, said: "I've not heard that the landlord Chris Jefferies has had his bail cancelled, which could be seen as significant.
"Now that they've charged Vincent Tabak it would make sense for police to cancel Mr Jefferies' bail – that would be normal procedure. I'd expect the police to act quickly to end any misunderstanding in relation to Mr Jefferies not being released from bail."
It was confirmed yesterday that the reconstruction of Miss Yeates' last known movements before she disappeared on December 17 has been dropped from BBC One show Crimewatch tonight.
Cameras had followed an actress recreating the 25-year-old landscape architect's journey from the Bristol Ram pub in Park Street to her home in Canynge Road, Clifton.
The footage, including the actress buying a pizza from the Tesco Express store in Regent Street, was to be aired on behalf of detectives investigating her killing in an attempt to jog the memory of witnesses.
But following the charging of Tabak with Miss Yeates' murder the film will no longer be shown.
A corporation spokesman said yesterday: "There'll be some reference to the Joanna Yeates case, but the reconstruction won't be shown. I'm afraid we don't have any more details at this stage, as it's all still being decided."
Dutchman Tabak yesterday appeared for a bail hearing at Bristol Crown Court where he learnt he would be remanded in custody until July 25.
He arrived from HMP Bristol at 9.55am for a ten-minute hearing under the Bail Act.
The 32-year-old, of Canynge Road, Clifton, is charged with the murder of his next-door neighbour Miss Yeates between December 16 and 26.
Tabak appeared in the dock of Court One clean shaven but wearing the same red jumper and grey trousers as he did at his first appearance before Bristol magistrates the day before.
The engineer, flanked by five security staff, spoke only to confirm his name and that he understood proceedings at their conclusion.
It was deemed he did not need the services of a Dutch interpreter who attended court, because he had good English and had worked in Bristol for a number of years. Both the public galleries were filled with reporters from newspapers and TV.
The Honourable Mr Justice Colman Treacy allowed an application from some members of the media to send instant updates on the case via internet messaging service Twitter, on the basis that no sensitive information would be aired.
Paul Cook, defending, made no bail application on behalf of his client.
Ann Reddrop, prosecuting, formally applied to remand Tabak in custody. She said: "The prosecution has set out their outline case in the papers.
Ms Reddrop explained the Crown's objections to bail being granted, and added: "In fairness to the defendant he is a man of good character in this country and also, as far as I am aware, in Holland."
The judge remanded Tabak in custody. He said Tabak was next due to appear at Bristol Crown Court on Monday, when he would review the application to use Twitter.
Tabak, 6ft 4in tall, tilted his head between the bullet-proof glass panels of the dock to hear what was being said.
Miss Yeates' parents David, 63, and Theresa, 58, did not attend the hearing. Neither did her boyfriend Greg Reardon, 27, who reported her missing after he returned home from a weekend in Sheffield on December 19 to find her purse, phone and house keys in the ground-floor flat but no sign of her. The body of Miss Yeates was found at the side of Longwood Lane, Failand, on Christmas Day.
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