Tabak ex-girlfriend's sorrow for Yeates

Vincent Tabak's ex-girlfriend has extended her "deepest sorrow" to Joanna Yeates's family.

In a statement, Tanja Morson, 34, also praised those involved in prosecuting her former partner.

Ms Morson told the Sunday Mirror: "I would like to extend my deepest sorrow and sympathy to the Yeates family for their loss.

"I am thankful to the judge, the jury, the barristers and solicitors for all their ongoing attention and professionalism."

Tabak, 33, was jailed on Friday for at least 20 years for the murder of Ms Yeates, a 25-year-old landscape architect who lived in Bristol.

Ms Morson initially stood by her boyfriend, finding it impossible to believe he was a killer. But the Dutch engineer had deceived and manipulated her.

She turned her back on him after he confessed to a prison chaplain that he had strangled his neighbour last December.

Ms Morson's father, Geoffrey, told the paper his daughter was still absorbing the verdict.

The 68-year-old, who lives in Cambridgeshire, added: "He fooled us. He fooled everybody. There was a guardian angel for us, but not unfortunately for Joanna." PA