Jo Yeates’ landlord agrees payout

29 July 2011 Last updated at 06:00 ET

Mr Jefferies was the subject of media scrutiny after he was arrested

The landlord of landscape architect Jo Yeates has accepted “substantial damages” from eight newspapers over libel claims, his lawyer has said.

Christopher Jefferies, from Bristol, was suing the papers over articles published when he was arrested on suspicion of her murder last December.

He accepted an undisclosed sum and public apology, his lawyer said.

Miss Yeates’ neighbour, Dutch national Vincent Tabak, 33, has admitted her manslaughter and awaits a murder trial.

Mr Jefferies, a retired teacher, was proven to be “entirely innocent”, Attorney General Dominic Grieve has said.

A separate ruling is expected later over whether the Sun and Mirror were in contempt of court over “hostile” articles published about Mr Jeffries.

Mr Grieve said that had Mr Jeffries been charged, the articles could have prevented him having a fair trial.

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