Claims made by the editor of the Daily Mirror over police briefings on the Joanna Yeates murder case were “outrageous”, the chief constable of Avon and Somerset police has said.Chief Constable Colin Port said evidence from Richard Wallace heard at the Leveson Inquiry earlier this year, including claims that the force had given off-the-record briefings on Yeates' landlord Chris Jefferies, were incorrect. Jefferies was arrested on suspicion of the murder in December 2010, and later cleared.Wallace had said a spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police told journalists Jefferies “was their man”.Port said: “It’s absolutely outrageous... I’ve never done that; it’s not my job to pass opinion on these issues. We don’t give off-the-record briefings and to behave in a collusive manner is just abhorrent.”Port said Jefferies’ name had been accidently revealed to a journalist but that no on or off-the-record conversations had been given to the press during the investigation. He also said the retired teacher had not correctly remember how many people he told about seeing three people leaving Yeates’s flat, a key factor in the decision to arrest him.Port added: “I’ve counted eight people, including some people who were paid by the media for information... His recollection is flawed, unfortunately.”Jefferies claims the police leaked his statement to the media, and is in the process of suing the force for wrongful arrest.The chief constable denied further police leaks, saying speculation on theories being considered by officers came from retired Metropolitan Police detective Peter Kirkham rather than from his force. He said a Sun article on a delivery from home store Ikea to Yeates’ flat had not come from police.DCI Philip Jones called the media response to the Yeates’ case a “scattergun approach” and explained he refused to individually brief journalists until the trial of Vincent Tabak, found guilty of the murder last year, was complete to ensure proceedings were not prejudiced.He told the inquiry Rebecca Scott, the best friend of Yeates, received over 160 calls and messages from the media and the Hampshire Police had been called after journalists camped out outside her home.Jones confirmed there was evidence to show neighbours of Jefferies may have received money from certain sections of the media.He said he had a “feeling of deflation” after the force was contacted by the Daily Mail over information about DNA found on Yeates’ body, which was known to the investigating team and third-parties involved in forensic analysis.He added: “This had a massive impact on the family because every time there was something speculative reported, in particular in relation to the Sun with the sock and also with the low copy DNA [in the Mail], then it would require us to make contact with the family, to make them aware of the fact this article was going to be published.”Port admitted that the force could have released more information on Jefferies’ innocence but said the most important thing was to clarify he was not longer a suspect and had been released without charge.He added: “There were a pair of trainers which we found in Mr Jefferies’ house which were hidden underneath a kitchen unit, behind a kick board. Those trainers had a blood spot on them, that was initially analysed... eventually a DNA profile was found and Mr Jefferies could be eliminated.”