UK UK - Jill Dando, 37, Fulham, London, 26 Apr 1999

[CSIAngus]

They did convince a court of law, so I'm not sure what you're trying to argue here.

The second trial wasn't much different to the first, with the exception of the GSR evidence. Had the GSR evidence been left out of the first trial, I firmly believe BG would still have been convicted based on the substantial circumstantial evidence, and that he would still be in jail now.

By the time of the second trial there had already been a years-long media campaign to get BG released. As nice as it would be to believe jurors aren't affected by such campaigns, I think it would be incredibly naive to suggest it makes no difference.

IMO BG was never going to be convicted in the second trial because the jury pool was too tainted by that point.

The appeal judges states that a reasonable jury may have convicted BG without the GSR residue evidence and used that argument to block compensation for wrongful incarceration. However, without the GSR, there is no physical link between BG and the murder. The two eye witnesses described seeing a man of Mediterranean appearance who has never been traced. IMO, the investigators got tunnel vision on BG as the local weirdo.

 

[Interested_But_Confused]

The appeal judges states that a reasonable jury may have convicted BG without the GSR residue evidence and used that argument to block compensation for wrongful incarceration. However, without the GSR, there is no physical link between BG and the murder. The two eye witnesses described seeing a man of Mediterranean appearance who has never been traced. IMO, the investigators got tunnel vision on BG as the local weirdo.

So little physical evidence was left after the paramedics had trampled all over the scene, that it would be difficult to find solid proof linking anyone to the crime. However, the circumstantial evidence was substantial and far more than just "BG is the local weirdo."

A fibre found at the scene potentially matched a pair of his trousers, and a coat described by witnesses as having been worn by the killer matched BG's coat; a coat which had GSR in the pocket matching the ammunition used in Jill's murder.

Metropolitan Police experts narrowed down the type of gun to one of just a few unusual models. One of those models was listed in BG's ledger as a gun he owned, and he's also shown holding it in the mask photo--a photo he ludicrously claims isn't of him. That gun has disappeared without trace for no good reason. Without the ledger you might argue the gun he was holding in the photo wasn't his own. Without the photo you might argue the ledger didn't prove he *really* owned it. Both together pretty well prove he was in possession of one of the few rare weapons capable of firing the ammunition found at the scene.

BG was seen on Gowan Avenue earlier on the morning of the murder, and later attempted to create an alibi for himself. The attempt to form an alibi would be suspicious even in the absence of the clothing, the GSR, the gun, being seen on Gowan Avenue, etc.

It may only be circumstantial evidence and not solid physical evidence, but it's not randomly picking on the local weirdo, either. This "local weirdo" was the only person, out of the thousands of people they investigated, who actually fit the evidence they had. And he *is* a convicted dangerous predator who committed numerous armed attacks on women.

I'd also argue that in some of the pictures of BG taken around the time of the murder, he could be described as looking quite "mediterranean." It's hard to believe looking at him now, but in 1999/2000 his hair and goatee gave him quite a resemblance to George Michael--probably not accidental. George Michael was Greek, so "mediterranean" would have been an accurate description.

 

[WestLondoner]

There is literally no evidence to suggest anyone other than BG. There is no evidence of the existence of any Serbian hitman, or that anyone wanted her dead, or anything else. Such a person or motive are entirely conjectural, unlike BG.

 

[JennieM]

With the elimination of BG, the CI has made it clear that there is no one else they would expect to arrest. BG is their man.

 

[tes1984]

Jill Dando wasn't a typical murder victim though. She had a lot of obsessive fans and who knows how many of them were stalker types.

Barry George is a very good suspect, but the Met has a habit of declaring 'case closed' when things don't go to plan in court or with the CPS.

The police said 'we're not looking for anyone else' about John Cannan for Suzy Lamplugh, yet six later they went back on themselves, when Steve Wright emerged from nowhere as a serial killer who knew Suzy.

 

[Interested_But_Confused]

Jill Dando wasn't a typical murder victim though. She had a lot of obsessive fans and who knows how many of them were stalker types.

Barry George is a very good suspect, but the Met has a habit of declaring 'case closed' when things don't go to plan in court or with the CPS.

The police said 'we're not looking for anyone else' about John Cannan for Suzy Lamplugh, yet six later they went back on themselves, when Steve Wright emerged from nowhere as a serial killer who knew Suzy.

The big difference is that nobody knows how (or even definitively IF) Suzy Lamplugh was killed. Most people also seem to agree that Suzy's mother played a big role in influencing the direction of the investigation right from Day 1. My opinion is that they gave Suzy's mother the answer she wanted because they really have no idea where else to go. There are of course many "convenient" suspects, Colin Stagg being a big one. Nobody is denying that happens.

But with Jill Dando, at a bare minimum, any suspect has to be proven to have had access to one of the rare guns which could have been used to kill her. Everything else aside, if a suspect can't be proven to have been in possession of the weapon, they can't be proven to have done it. There isn't a huge amount of evidence in Jill's case, but the evidence that does exist is very specific and unusual. The number of suspects who would fit all of that available evidence can't, realistically, be very high. And BG knows that, or he wouldn't have been lying about the gun and the photo for the past 24 years.

If BG were just the local weirdo, he wouldn't be a good suspect. But as the local weirdo who owned one of the possible weapons, already had numerous arrests and convictions for assaulting women, was actually seen in the area that morning, and later tried to create an alibi for no apparent reason...

 

[tes1984]

The number of suspects who would fit all of that available evidence can't, realistically, be very high. And BG knows that, or he wouldn't have been lying about the gun and the photo for the past 24 years.

If BG were just the local weirdo, he wouldn't be a good suspect. But as the local weirdo who owned one of the possible weapons, already had numerous arrests and convictions for assaulting women, was actually seen in the area that morning, and later tried to create an alibi for no apparent reason...

There doesn't have to be a very high number of suspects for someone else to have killed Jill.

Let's say Barry George is innocent. He hears there's been a shooting nearby and realises that he's going to be a suspect. He doesn't fancy spending another 48 hours in interrogation, like he had to in a previous local murder enquiry. So he panics and tries to create an alibi. He definitely doesn't want the police to find a gun in his flat, even though it's only a replica. He gets rid of the gun, but like the idiot he is, forgets about the photo of him playing SAS.

Is that a possible scenario? IIRC Barry George was questioned as a suspect in the Rachel Nickell investigation

 

[WestLondoner]

He hears there's been a shooting nearby and realises that he's going to be a suspect. He doesn't fancy spending another 48 hours in interrogation, like he had to in a previous local murder enquiry. So he panics and tries to create an alibi. He definitely doesn't want the police to find a gun in his flat, even though it's only a replica. He gets rid of the gun, but like the idiot he is, forgets about the photo of him playing SAS.

AIUI he was trying to create the alibi before very many people at all had heard there'd been a shooting. If he didn't do it, he should be happy to have the police find his gun, as their checks on it would prove this wasn't the murder weapon.

 

[dotr]

Entire lengthy article detailing George's many incidents, the 'targeting' of Japanese tourists was new to me,
Nick Hopkins and Steven Morris 3 Jul 2001

Dando killer was an oddball loner

Barry George yearned to be Gary Glitter, posed as an SAS soldier and pretended to be a professional stuntman. He insisted he was the cousin of Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of his favourite band, Queen.

www.theguardian.com

''George's criminal record briefly made him a potential suspect for the murder of Rachel Nickell, who was stabbed on Wimbledon Common in 1992. He was interviewed, not under caution, and released.''

''Favoured victims of his fictitious stories were Japanese tourists, but they quickly spread the word that George should be avoided. One Japanese website devoted to Queen posted a warning about him. "Everyone be careful of this man. He is a total fraud who targets Japanese people," it said.

In the spring of 1994, George went to the London bureau of a Japanese paper to suggest they write a story about him. He handed over his Bulsara Productions card but was sent on his way.''

 

[WiseOwl]

AIUI he was trying to create the alibi before very many people at all had heard there'd been a shooting. If he didn't do it, he should be happy to have the police find his gun, as their checks on it would prove this wasn't the murder weapon.

It was the prosecution who alleged that BG had gone to the centre to provide an alibi, there is no proof that this was the reason at all apart from them suggesting it was:

Dando accused 'set up alibi' at health centre

Barry George, 41, went to Hammersmith and Fulham Action for Disability (Hafad) on the day Ms Dando died in April 1999 and returned there two days later. On the first occasion, he turned up at the centre without an appointment and seemed highly agitated, the jury was told

Elaine Hutton, the finance director of Hafad, said she had listened to parts of a conversation between George and her colleague Susan Bicknell at the office, in Greswell Street, Fulham, west London. "I was not listening to the exact wording of the conversation between them. He was quite agitated. I was aware I might need to step in and help," said Ms Hutton.

She said George had a carrier bag of letters expressing dissatisfaction for some of the services he had received from the medical profession in general. She said her colleague had tried to stay calm and focused. She could not deal with him that day and was eventually able to placate him.

George was given an appointment for the following day, but then failed to show. However, he appeared on Wednesday April 28, two days after Ms Dando was shot.

"He said he had... gone to lay flowers at Jill's place on behalf of the church and that she was well respected in the borough," said Ms Hutton. She said George had wanted to know the exact time of his visit to Hafad on the day Ms Dando had died. She had been unsure of the time but George had pressed her to be specific and was unhappy with her estimate. He had been agitated, saying the description of the Dando suspect matched him but that "it could be anyone".

Mrs Bicknell said George had been to the centre at 11.50am on the day Ms Dando died, 20 minutes after the shooting.

The prosecution allege that George shot Ms Dando, then changed his clothes and went to Hafad to establish an alibi. He has denied murder.