Christopher Jefferies gets police apology

Mr Jefferies, who received a letter of apology from the police, said that the police “should have done more” to publicise his innocence.

15:43 16 September 2013

Former landlord Christopher Jefferies was arrested in December 2010 when his tenant, Jo Yeates was found dead. After several months of inquiry, a great deal of media harassment, and embarrassment, he was eliminated from the inquiry and was no longer considered a suspect. 

 

Because of this, Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset, Nick Gargan, wrote Mr Jefferies an apology letter saying: "I write formally to acknowledge the hurt that you suffered as a result of that arrest, detention and eventual release on police bail in connection with the murder of Joanna Yeates in December 2010 and which was the subject of huge media interest.

 

"I accept unequivocally that you played no part in the murder and that you are wholly innocent of the crime."

 

Meanwhile, Mr Jefferies said: "It provides an important conclusion to the whole aftermath of what I had to go through following my arrest.

 

"As the letter itself explains it provides the public vindication which was not given at the time I was released from police bail."

 

"As far as I was concerned, I think probably the period of nine weeks during which I was still on police bail and when I couldn't return to my flat, that was the most difficult period I've experienced."