Tanja Morson, who was dating Vincent Tabak when he murdered Joanna Yeates, has spoken of her sorrow for the victim’s family.

Miss Morson’s father Geoffrey also said he was sad about what happened and said their family had been fooled by Tabak.

Tabak, 32, was found guilty of murdering landscape artist Miss Yeates by a majority verdict at Bristol Crown Court last week and sentenced to life in prison, of which he will serve at least 20 years.

The Dutchman had admitted manslaughter after strangling her when she rebuffed his romantic advances but denied murder, claiming he never intended to kill her.

Miss Morson, 34, a treasury analyst at Dyson, based in Malmesbury, had lived with Tabak for 18 months in their flat at Canynge Road, Bristol – next door to Miss Yeates – after they met on a dating website.

In what she said will be her only statement, she 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.”

She had initially supported Tabak when he was arrested but turned her back on him when he confessed to the killing while being held in prison.

Miss Morson’s father, Geoffrey, said: “Tanja is still absorbing the verdict. She is coping. He fooled us. He fooled everybody. There was a guardian angel for us, but not unfortunately for Joanna. That is so sad.”

After the verdict, Miss Yeates’s father David expressed his sympathy for Miss Morson.

Mr Yeates, 64, said: “During the trial, what he [Tabak] said happened in that flat actually didn’t. He went around there to try to come on to Jo, he went over the line, Jo started screaming, and it could be because of his relationship with Tanja Morson that he couldn’t afford to let her find out about what he tried to do.

“We felt that if it wasn’t Jo, it would have been someone in the future.”

“I think Tanja has been through a very hard time.

“She probably feels that if she had done something particular or said something particular he could have reacted in the same way.”