Neighbour charged with Joanna Yeates murder
The next-door neighbour of Joanna Yeates appeared in court today accused of her murder.
Dutch engineer Vincent Tabak was remanded in custody at Bristol Magistrates’ Court charged with killing the 25-year-old landscape architect.
Tabak, 32, of Canynge Road, Clifton, Bristol, England who works at Buro Happold in Bath, 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 today that he may also appear at the crown court tomorrow for a bail hearing.
The defendant spoke only to confirm his name, age and address.
No details of the prosecution case against him were given in court.
Takab was charged with murdering Miss Yeates sometime between December 16 and December 26. She disappeared on December 17 and her body was discovered on Christmas Day.
A Dutch interpreter was present but Tabak did not appear to have any difficulty understanding proceedings during the two-minute hearing.
Tabak, a trilingual engineer, is an expert in the flow of people through buildings, including sports venues.
He lived next door to Miss Yeates with his girlfriend Tanja Morson.
His arrest was the second to be made by detectives since Miss Yeates’ frozen body was found dumped in a lane on the outskirts of Bristol on December 25 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 December 19 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 in England.
Her landlord, Chris Jefferies, 66, was arrested on December 30 and questioned for three days before being released on bail.
