Vincent Tabak & Tanja Morson, at Stonehenge (Pic:SWNS)

Vincent Tabak & Tanja Morson, at Stonehenge (Pic:SWNS)

Tanja Morson yesterday praised the trial judge and the jury which convicted her ex-boyfriend Tabak of murder.

She initally stood by Tabak after his arrest, but turned her back on him after his prison confession.

Yesterday, in her only statement, the financial analyst, 34, said: "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."

Her dad Geoffrey Morson said: "Tanja is still ­absorbing the verdict. She is coping. He fooled us. He fooled ­everybody." Tanja, 34, lived with Tabak for 18 months after they met via an online dating agency, and only found out about his twisted obsession with sexual strangulation after the guilty verdict.

Mr Morson added: "There was a ­guardian angel for us, but not unfortunately for Joanna. That is so sad."