Neighbour remanded in custody on Joanna Yeates murder charge

THE next-door neighbour of Joanna Yeates has appeared in court accused of her murder.

Dutch engineer Vincent Tabak was remanded in custody yesterday at Bristol Magistrates' Court charged with killing the 25-year-old landscape architect.

Tabak, 32, of Canynge Road, Clifton, Bristol, was arrested last Thursday. It is understood he was detained at an address in Aberdeen Road, Cotham, about a mile from his home, where he is thought to have been staying.

He was remanded in custody for a week to appear next at Bristol Crown Court on the murder charge. But the court was told yesterday that he may also appear at the crown court today for a bail hearing.

Tabak spoke only to confirm his name, age and address. No pleas was entered and no details of the prosecution case against him were given in court.

He was charged with murdering Miss Yeates some time between 16 December and 26 December. She disappeared on 17 December and her body was discovered on Christmas Day.

A Dutch interpreter was present but Tabak did not appear to have any difficulty understanding proceedings.

Tabak, a trilingual engineer, works at Buro Happold in Bath. and is an expert in the flow of people through buildings.

He lived next door to Miss Yeates with his girlfriend Tanja Morson, an analyst for Dyson, in Malmesbury, Wiltshire.

His arrest was the second to be made by detectives since Miss Yeates's frozen body was found dumped in a lane on the outskirts of Bristol on 25 December by a couple walking their dog. She had been strangled.

University graduate Miss Yeates disappeared after going for Christmas drinks with colleagues at her architectural firm in Bristol.

Her boyfriend, Greg Reardon, 27, reported her missing after he returned to the rented flat they shared on 19 December following a weekend away visiting family in Sheffield.

A huge police operation swung into action after her body was found on the verge in Longwood Lane, Failand, North Somerset.

Her landlord, Chris Jefferies, 66, was arrested on 30 December and questioned for three days on suspicion of murder before being released on bail.

There were so many journalists wishing to attend yesterday's hearing in courtroom one at Bristol Magistrates' Court that only one member of each media organisation was allowed in.

Miss Yeates's parents, David and Theresa, suggested over the weekend that they might attend yesterday's hearing but they were not present.

An unshaven and bespectacled Tabak, wearing a red jumper with sleeves rolled up and dark casual trousers, was accompanied by one female dock officer during the two-minute hearing.Also present in the dock was a female interpreter, who swore an oath before Tabak was brought into court.

The dock officer then removed the handcuff from the 6ft 4in defendant and he remained standing as the clerk asked him to confirm his personal details.

Tabak leaned forward towards the glass dock to listen to what the clerk was saying. He confirmed his address and that he was 32 years old. The clerk then read out the murder charge.

William Summers, chairman of the bench, told Tabak: "This matter has to go to the Crown Court and you will appear in the Crown Court tomorrow where a bail application can be put.

"There will be a preliminary hearing on 31 January and there will be a plea and case management hearing on 29 April."