Joanna ‘killed by chance after signals misread’

Tabak misread her signals by trying to kiss her after she invited him in for a drink on the night of her death, his counsel claimed.

Tabak says he put his hand to his 25-year-old victim’s throat after she protested at his advances. His full version of events was heard for the first time as defence QC William Clegg said Miss Yeates’s death was a tragic misfortune.

Tabak “completely misread the situation” before “Joanna went limp”, Mr Clegg claimed.

“It was pure chance that Vincent Tabak and Joanna Yeates ever met on December 17 last year,” the lawyer told Bristol Crown Court.

Miss Yeates’s boyfriend Greg Reardon fought back tears in the public gallery as Mr Clegg said Miss Yeates was “bored and lonely” on the night of her death.

She invited Tabak into her flat after smiling at him as he walked past her kitchen window, Mr Clegg said. He added: “They had never really met before, other than a nod as they would pass in a passage outside their house.

“Vincent Tabak was also home alone and bored. His partner was away and he was, like she was, at a loose end. And their meeting, like that night, like what followed, was unplanned. It was pure chance.

“Vincent left his flat and he was walking towards his car, intending to drive to Asda, when he passed Joanna’s kitchen window.

“Her blind was up – it always was. It was broken, her boyfriend confirmed. The light in the kitchen was on. Joanna was in there. She looked up and saw Vincent, her neighbour. He noticed her.

“There was a nod and acknowledgement between the two, and she indicated or beckoned for him to retrace his steps and come in.”

Mr Clegg told the jury the invitation marked an “unfortunate starting point for the defence case”.

“He went into her flat because she had opened the door and invited him in,” the lawyer said. “They introduced themselves to each other and chatted, as neighbours would.

“She said that her boyfriend was away and she was alone, and he said that his girlfriend was away and he was alone. And as the two of them talked inside that flat, Vincent Tabak completely misread the situation he had walked into.

“Joanna was only being sociable, as many neighbours would be, particularly as it was Christmas.

“He misread her friendliness, and made a move towards her as if he was about to kiss her on the lips.” Tabak then put his arm around Miss Yeates, he added.

“She screamed... a loud piercing scream,” Mr Clegg said. “He panicked. He put her hand over her mouth to stifle the screams. He said to her, ‘Stop screaming’. He apologised and said he was sorry.

“He took his hand away, and she carried on screaming. He panicked. He put one hand around her throat and the other over her mouth. In seconds – far less than a minute – Joanna went limp.

“He never intended to kill her. Nothing had been planned, nothing was premeditated.”

Mr Clegg said he would not try to justify Tabak’s actions after her death, saying his client was “living a lie” by attempting to carry on his life as normal. He said it was “frankly disgusting” Tabak tried to hide the body and “did everything he could to cover his tracks”.

He told the jury: “We all know what he should have done. He should have phoned police – he never did. That is something he must bear responsibility for.”

The court had heard earlier that over the ensuing days Tabak had researched online several unsolved murders, the sentencing rates in murder and manslaughter cases, and clicked on a website titled “Sexual offences explained”.

The case continues today when Tabak – who denies murder but admits manslaughter – will himself give evidence.