Accused joked about Jo murder at dinner parties, court is told

Vincent Tabak joked about the Joanna Yeates murder investigation at dinner parties, “light-heartedly” suggesting police looked for a body in his drawer, a court has heard.

As police investigated in January, Tabak, 33, was drinking champagne at a party where he allegedly said the murderer must have been a “totally crazy, detached person”.

Solicitor Sarah Maddock said Tabak, who was planning to marry partner Tanja Morson and start a family, was acting normally and was typically tactile with his girlfriend at a dinner party in the St Andrew’s area of Bristol on 15 January.

Party host Andrew Lillie also discussed the case with Tabak, who has since admitted manslaughter but denied murder.

In a police statement read out in court, Mr Lillie said he had been discussing Miss Yeates with Miss Morson.

“Vincent just said a small remark about opening a drawer so they could look for a body,” Mr Lillie added.

As Ms Maddock speculated that the murder was mystifying, Tabak joined the conversation, Bristol Crown Court heard.

She added: “I think I remember Vincent agreed with the statement and may have added ‘either that or someone must have to be a totally crazy person to have done something like that’.”

Miss Yeates, meanwhile, was said to have told friends she was “dreading” spending the weekend alone on 17 December last year, hours before she was strangled.

She confided in one colleague of her fears at being without boyfriend Greg Reardon, who was visiting his family in Sheffield.

The 25-year-old, who worked as a landscape architect at BDP, told office manager Elisabeth Chandler that she planned to spend the weekend baking.

“Jo told me that she was dreading the weekend because it was the first time she was going to be left on her own,” she said in a written statement read to the jury.

Other colleagues from BDP who met in the Ram pub, in Park Street, told the trial that she “did not appear in the best of moods” and was “bored”, while others said she was her usual “jovial” self.

Miss Yeates also sent a number of texts to friends that evening.

BDP architect Samuel Huscroft said he received a text from Miss Yeates, which said: “Where are you this fine evening?”

Mr Huscroft said he texted back but did not receive a reply.

Jurors also heard a statement from Peter Lindsell, a former colleague of Miss Yeates at BDP, who she also texted that evening.

Mr Lindsell was waiting for a train when he received a message asking: “Where art thou?”

He said he was at the station.

At 8:24pm, Miss Yeates replied: “On my tod, just thinking about how much fun your birthday was.”

Jurors also heard a statement from Matthew Wood, an old school friend of Miss Yeates’ older brother Chris.

He received a text at 8:26pm which said: “Matt, are you out tonight?”

Mr Wood said, who was at his staff Christmas party, replied at 9:22pm but never heard back.

The case continues.