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20 October 2011
Last updated at 07:43 ET
Dutch engineer Vincent Tabak has apologised for putting Jo Yeates's parents through "a week of hell" after strangling their daughter.
The 33-year-old told Bristol Crown Court that he was "so sorry" after killing her and leaving her body next to a roadside verge.
Tabak has admitted Miss Yeates's manslaughter on 17 December last year but denies her murder.
"I still can't believe I did that," he told the court.
Tabak told the court about the sequence of events which led up to her death, and how Miss Yeates had made a "flirty comment" to him.
He said he was invited into Miss Yeates's flat after waving at her when he walked past her kitchen window.
Tabak told jurors that he walked past Miss Yeates's flat on his way to the supermarket and the security light came on.
'I was panicking' Tabak said: "She invited me in. I took off my coat. I hung it on the coat rack in the hall. We both went into the kitchen."
While in the kitchen, Tabak claimed 25-year-old Miss Yeates made a remark about her cat, which he said had recently got into his flat.
Tabak told the court that Miss Yeates said: "The cat went into places where it shouldn't go. A bit like me."
He added: "I decided to make a pass at her... I got the impression she wanted to kiss me."
After the comment, Tabak leaned forward, put a hand on her back and tried to kiss her.
She then screamed and Tabak put his hand to her mouth to stop her.
"I was panicking. I wanted to stop her screaming. I wanted to calm her down," he said.
After strangling her for less than a minute "she went limp, she fell to the floor", Tabak said, adding: "I still can't understand what happened."
Tabak told the court how he briefly took Miss Yeates's body back to his flat to put her in a bicycle cover.
"I carried her with my arms. One hand was underneath her back, the other was under her knees," he said.
'State of panic' "I didn't want anyone to find out what had happened and I decided to put her in the boot of my car."
He then went back into her flat and picked up a pizza which she had bought on the way home and a sock which had come off as he moved her body.
Continue reading the main story “Start Quote
Tabak told the court he was "in a state of panic" as he put her body in the boot of his car.
He then went to Asda, which he had originally planned to do before his encounter with Miss Yeates.
He confirmed to the court that Miss Yeates's body was in the boot of the car as he visited the supermarket in Bedminster.
"I was responsible for her death. I'm so sorry," he told the court.
He said he started driving to Bristol Airport when he stopped at Longwood Lane, Failand, where he "did something horrendous".
"I decided to leave her body there," he said.
Her body was later found by two dog walkers on Christmas Day.
In the following days, Tabak told the court that he began to drink more alcohol and was constantly checking news coverage of her disappearance.
When asked what he expected to happen, he replied: "That I would be arrested. I thought Joanna would be found any moment."
"I should have called the police the minute she was dead. I still can't believe I was (capable) of such an act. It will haunt me."
The trial continues.
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The 33-year-old told Bristol Crown Court that he was "so sorry" after killing her and leaving her body next to a roadside verge.
Tabak has admitted Miss Yeates's manslaughter on 17 December last year but denies her murder.
"I still can't believe I did that," he told the court.
Tabak told the court about the sequence of events which led up to her death, and how Miss Yeates had made a "flirty comment" to him.
He said he was invited into Miss Yeates's flat after waving at her when he walked past her kitchen window.
Tabak told jurors that he walked past Miss Yeates's flat on his way to the supermarket and the security light came on.
'I was panicking' Tabak said: "She invited me in. I took off my coat. I hung it on the coat rack in the hall. We both went into the kitchen."
While in the kitchen, Tabak claimed 25-year-old Miss Yeates made a remark about her cat, which he said had recently got into his flat.
Tabak told the court that Miss Yeates said: "The cat went into places where it shouldn't go. A bit like me."
He added: "I decided to make a pass at her... I got the impression she wanted to kiss me."
After the comment, Tabak leaned forward, put a hand on her back and tried to kiss her.
She then screamed and Tabak put his hand to her mouth to stop her.
"I was panicking. I wanted to stop her screaming. I wanted to calm her down," he said.
After strangling her for less than a minute "she went limp, she fell to the floor", Tabak said, adding: "I still can't understand what happened."
Tabak told the court how he briefly took Miss Yeates's body back to his flat to put her in a bicycle cover.
"I carried her with my arms. One hand was underneath her back, the other was under her knees," he said.
'State of panic' "I didn't want anyone to find out what had happened and I decided to put her in the boot of my car."
He then went back into her flat and picked up a pizza which she had bought on the way home and a sock which had come off as he moved her body.
Continue reading the main story “Start Quote
I was responsible for her death. I'm so sorry”
End Quote
Vincent Tabak
Tabak told the court he was "in a state of panic" as he put her body in the boot of his car.
He then went to Asda, which he had originally planned to do before his encounter with Miss Yeates.
He confirmed to the court that Miss Yeates's body was in the boot of the car as he visited the supermarket in Bedminster.
"I was responsible for her death. I'm so sorry," he told the court.
He said he started driving to Bristol Airport when he stopped at Longwood Lane, Failand, where he "did something horrendous".
"I decided to leave her body there," he said.
Her body was later found by two dog walkers on Christmas Day.
In the following days, Tabak told the court that he began to drink more alcohol and was constantly checking news coverage of her disappearance.
When asked what he expected to happen, he replied: "That I would be arrested. I thought Joanna would be found any moment."
"I should have called the police the minute she was dead. I still can't believe I was (capable) of such an act. It will haunt me."
The trial continues.
Powered By WizardRSS.com | Full Text RSS Feed | Amazon Plugin | Settlement Statement