I didn't strangle Jo Yeates for sexual thrill - The Sun

KILLER Vincent Tabak yesterday repeatedly denied claims that he strangled Jo Yeates to get a sexual thrill.

Prosecutor Nigel Lickley QC challenged Tabak: "Was the holding of her throat by you sexual in your mind?"

He also asked the Dutch engineer: "Did you derive sexual gratification from holding her throat?"

And he added: "Were you sexually aroused when you were holding her throat?"

To all three questions Tabak answered: "Definitely not."

Tabak, 33, claims 25-year-old Jo "flirted" with him after inviting him into her flat in Clifton, Bristol but then screamed when he "misread" the situation and tried to kiss her after chatting for just ten minutes.

He insisted to the jury at his murder trial at Bristol Crown Court that kissing Jo was not a sexual act and he had no sexual intent.

But Mr Lickley said to him: "You had been with her for a few minutes, shared a comment about her cat, and you thought, 'I would like to kiss you on the mouth'?

"You are with a woman, you've only just learned her name, she's your next-door neighbour and you think of kissing her on the mouth?" Tabak said: "Yes."

Mr Lickley said: "That's sexual Vincent Tabak." The accused replied: "I don't think so."

Tabak added: "I felt attracted to her... I thought she was attracted to me. She was cheery and happy."

Mr Lickley said: "Lots of people are cheery and happy it doesn't mean they want to kiss you."

The QC asked Tabak why if there was no sexual element to the attack he researched websites on sexual conduct and definitions of sexual assault on January 11 over three weeks later.

Tabak said he was worried that the attack would be seen as sexual and he was not sure how sexual conduct was defined. He went on to admit misleading cops in his initial statements and again repeatedly answered "I can't remember" when asked to explain the injuries found on Jo's body.

He struggled to keep his composure as a picture of landscape architect Jo's partially-clothed dead body was shown to the court.

Mr Lickley asked him: "Is that what she looked like, lying on your bedroom floor?"

Tabak said: "I can't remember how she looked like."

The defendant repeated his denial that there had been a struggle with Jo and that his hand had moved to different grips on her throat.

In summary, the prosecutor told him: "You assaulted her in her own home and strangled her and you did that when you knew no one would come to save her you knew her boyfriend was away."

Tabak insisted: "It was not my intention to kill her."

His sisters Ilse and Cora and older brother Marcel were in the public gallery as he spoke from the witness box.

Forensic pathologist Dr Nat Cary gave evidence on behalf of the defence.

Cross-examined by Mr Lickley he agreed that many of the 43 injuries found on Jo's body could be consistent with a "violent struggle".

Tabak admits manslaughter but denies murder.

The trial continues on Monday.

j.coles@the-sun.co.uk