Killer’s ex sends regrets to family of Joanna Yeates

The former girlfriend of murderer Vincent Tabak has extended her “deepest sorrow” to Joanna Yeates’s family.

Her father added that a “guardian angel” saved his daughter from the 33-year-old Dutch engineer who hid his depraved sex secrets.

Tanja Morson, 34, initially stood by her boyfriend, finding it impossible to believe he was a killer. But Tabak had deceived and manipulated her.

She turned her back on him after he confessed to a voluntary prison chaplain in February that he had killed the petite 25-year-old landscape architect.

In her only statement, Miss Morson said: “I would like to extend my deepest sorrow and sympathy to the Yeates family for their loss.

“I am thankful to the judge, the jury, the barristers and solicitors for all their ongoing attention and professionalism.”

On Friday, Tabak was jailed for life with a minimum term of 20 years at Bristol Crown Court after a jury found him guilty of murdering Miss Yeates.

Miss Morson’s father, Geoffrey, who lives in Cambridgeshire, said his daughter was still absorbing the verdict.

The Canadian 68-year-old lawyer added: “He fooled us. He fooled everybody. There was a guardian angel for us, but not unfortunately for Joanna.”

During sentencing Mr Justice Field described Tabak as “thoroughly deceitful, dishonest and manipulative”.

Mr Morson believes his daughter had a lucky escape from the man he had once thought would become their son-in-law.

Tabak and Miss Morson began seeing each other in November 2008 after she contacted him through the online dating site Guardian Soulmates.

Their relationship developed and by the following June they had set up home together in Clifton, Bristol.

Miss Morson had dreamt of marrying Tabak, describing him as “the one”.