Joanna Yeates’ killer Vincent Tabak joked about her death to friends at a Bristol dinner party, a court heard yesterday.
The Dutch engineer told fellow diners that the killer must have been a “totally crazy, detached person” and “light-heartedly” suggested police look for a body in his drawer, the jury was told.
In a police statement read out in court, dinner party host Andrew Lillie said he had been discussing the disappearance of Yeates with Tabak’s fiancee Tanya Morson and that “Vincent just said a small remark about opening a drawer so they could look for a body.”
Another guest, solicitor Sarah Maddock also recalled discussing Yeates disappearance with Tabak. During the conversation she said the case was a mystery.
“I think I remember that Vincent agreed with the statement and may have added, ‘Either that or someone must have to be a totally crazy person to have done something like that’.” She told the court.
Maddock said Tabak, 33, and girlfriend Tanja Morson were planning to get married and that he was his normal tactile self with his fiancee at the party.
Maddocks said the Yeates case was a subject of discussion “for some time” at the party, which took place on January 15. She added “Vincent was his usual calm and quiet self.”
“I remember saying, ‘You were on your own that night?'” she continuted. “He said, ‘Yes’.” She recalled that Tabak did not look ruffled or try to change the subject.
Tabak and Morson later offered to walk another guest home amid fears that Yeates murderer was still at large.
Tabak has admitted manslaughter but denies murdering Yeates.
