Defence revealed in tabloid -- bail oddly rejected (5)
I believe the answer is:
alibi
'defence' is the definition.
(defence given to police by a suspect)
'tabloid bail oddly rejected' is the wordplay.
'oddly rejected' means one should take alternating letters (letters in odd-numbered positions removed).
'tabloid'+'bail'='tabloidbail'
The alternate letters of 'tabloidbail' are 'ALIBI'.
'revealed in' is the link.
(Other definitions for alibi that I've seen before include "Timely plea?" , "can offer a valid defence against most charges" , "Legal defence - was elsewhere" , "Evidence one was elsewhere at time of crime" , "Fact of being elsewhere (legal)" .)