Avon and Somerset chief constable apologises to Chris Jefferies

The chief constable of Avon and Somerset Constabulary has written a letter of apology to a man investigated as part of a high-profile murder inquiry who subsequently suffered serious media scrutiny.

Nick Gargan wrote to Christopher Jefferies accepting he had no role in the murder of Joanna Yeates, who was killed in December 2010.

When Ms Yeates was first reported missing after failing to return to her Bristol flat, much of the media spotlight was shone on Mr Jefferies, her landlord and neighbour, who was released without charge and later received substantial damages from a series of newspapers over their coverage of the case.

Vincent Tabak, another neighbour of Ms Yeates, was convicted of her murder and sentenced to a minimum of 20 years at Bristol Crown Court in October 2011.

In the letter, Mr Gargan apologised for the “significant distress” caused after Mr Jefferies was released on bail, saying the force should have considered issuing a public statement to state he was not under any further suspicion.

“Whilst we believe your arrest was an integral step in the challenging and complex investigation, I write to formally acknowledge the hurt that you suffered as a result of that arrest,” the letter said.

“I accept unequivocally that you played no part in the murder and that you are wholly innocent of the crime. Colleagues were grateful for your full and helpful cooperation with their investigation.”

Mr Gargan said he met with Mr Jefferies last week to discuss his experiences and use it to inform the ways the force handles serious investigations, and confirmed any DNA and forensic evidence had been destroyed.

“The media attention and vilification to which Christopher Jefferies was subjected during the Joanna Yeates murder investigation was unprecedented and I understand how difficult it must have been for him,” he said.

“Although I was not chief constable then, I stand by the decision taken at the time to arrest and interview Christopher Jefferies. Nevertheless I am happy to accede to his request that we should make it clear that he was completely exonerated in this investigation.

“This is an unusual step to take but these were exceptional circumstances.”

Mr Jefferies said it is “extremely important” to recognise the potential damage to innocent people’s lives during such investigations, adding that though he had now recovered from the incident it had dominated the last three years of his life.

“It provides an important conclusion to the whole aftermath of what I had to go through following my arrest,” he said.

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