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Vincent Tabak trial: Tabak misread Yeates's friendliness | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A Dutch engineer "completely misread" his neighbour's friendliness and went to kiss her before she screamed, a court has heard. | |
At the opening of Vincent Tabak's defence at Bristol Crown Court, his QC William Clegg said he panicked after he went to kiss 25-year-old Jo Yeates. | |
He covered her mouth before he held her neck and she "went limp". | |
Tabak, 33, has admitted Miss Yeates's manslaughter on 17 December last year but denies her murder. | |
Miss Yeates, 25, originally from Ampfield, Hampshire, was strangled at her flat in Clifton, Bristol, on 17 December 2010. Her body was found on Christmas Day. | Miss Yeates, 25, originally from Ampfield, Hampshire, was strangled at her flat in Clifton, Bristol, on 17 December 2010. Her body was found on Christmas Day. |
Mr Clegg said Tabak was invited into Miss Yeates's flat when she saw him walking past her kitchen window while she was baking. | |
It was here, Mr Clegg said, where the pair introduced themselves to one another "and chatted as neighbours would". | |
"Vincent Tabak misread the situation that he had walked into. Joanna was only being sociable as many neighbours would," Mr Clegg told the jury. | |
"But he misread her friendliness towards him and made a move towards her as if he was about to kiss her on the lips." | |
Tabak's girlfriend had been at a Christmas party that night while Miss Yeates's partner was away with family in Sheffield. | |
Tabak claimed he was in the flat for about 10 minutes before Miss Yeates screamed. | |
But the defence also claimed screams heard by nearby residents could also have been students celebrating Christmas. | |
"What Vincent Tabak did was a dreadful crime - but it wasn't something he had planned, intended or wanted to do," Mr Clegg said. | |
"He panicked and in literally a few seconds he discovered to his horror that she had died." | |
The defence QC said counsel would not try to excuse Tabak's "disgusting" conduct after her death as he tried to cover his tracks. | |
But he claimed that Tabak's "calculating" behaviour afterwards did not mean he intended to kill Miss Yeates. | |
Mr Clegg said Tabak had thrown away a pizza that Miss Yeates had bought on the way home, as well as a sock missing from her body, into an industrial bin and "started living a lie". | |
"We all know what he should have done. He should have phoned police - he never did. | |
"That is something that he must bear responsibility for." | |
Earlier, as the prosecution case ended, the jury was told how Tabak searched the internet for details of the maximum sentence for manslaughter. | |
News articles | |
The day after Miss Yeates went missing Tabak also searched for maps of Longwood Lane where her body was later found. | |
Computer expert Lyndsey Farmery told the court that Tabak also read news articles about her disappearance. | |
The jury was told that Tabak looked at Wikipedia pages defining murder and manslaughter in English law before the landscape architect's body was found. | The jury was told that Tabak looked at Wikipedia pages defining murder and manslaughter in English law before the landscape architect's body was found. |
He also looked up definitions of "sexual assault" and "sexual conduct" and read articles on the BBC news website about Miss Yeates's disappearance. | He also looked up definitions of "sexual assault" and "sexual conduct" and read articles on the BBC news website about Miss Yeates's disappearance. |
Tabak also researched DNA evidence, forensics and fingerprinting on 22 December, the court heard. | Tabak also researched DNA evidence, forensics and fingerprinting on 22 December, the court heard. |
His internet history showed he searched for "CCTV Canynge Road" and used Google Street View to see the area. | His internet history showed he searched for "CCTV Canynge Road" and used Google Street View to see the area. |
Ms Farmery also told the court that Tabak searched for "Joanna Yeates pizza" in reference to the missing pizza. | |
The trial was adjourned until Thursday when the jury was told Vincent Tabak would give evidence. |