Barry George, who spent 8 years in jail wrongly convicted of the murder of Jill Dando, insists that a Serbian assassin, Milorad Ulemek, should be investigated in connection to the crime. George, now 64, suggests that Ulemek should be brought to the UK from Serbia to face the legal consequences if found guilty. A recent investigation has revealed that a key witness from the day of the murder identified Ulemek as the man she saw running from the direction of the crime. CCTV footage showed a man running along Fulham Palace Road in South West London after Jill was shot outside her home. Despite this evidence, the police did not take timely action to trace, interview, and eliminate the man on CCTV, leading to George’s wrongful arrest and conviction.
During George’s first trial, flawed gunpowder evidence was presented, which falsely suggested his guilt. This evidence was later thrown out on appeal, revealing that the jury had been misled by prosecutors. Despite maintaining his innocence, George was convicted in 2001 and sentenced to life in prison. However, a subsequent appeal in 2007 led to a retrial where he was unanimously acquitted. The Court of Appeal ruled that new scientific doubts over the gunshot discharge residue evidence made the conviction unsafe. The evidence showed that it was not likely the residue came from a gun fired by George, casting doubts on his guilt.
The investigation into Jill Dando’s murder has taken a new turn with the identification of Milorad Ulemek as a potential suspect by a key witness. George and his sister, Michelle Bates, who has tirelessly fought for his innocence, are calling for a fresh investigation into the new evidence. George, who has been diagnosed with various disorders, insists that the police should have properly investigated lines of inquiry that now point to a suspect in Serbia. Despite ongoing accusations against him, George continues to assert his innocence and urges that the true perpetrator of the crime must be brought to justice.
The police focus on George as a suspect shifted from investigating the possibility of a professional assassin being involved in Jill Dando’s murder. A facial recognition expert compared a CCTV image of the man running from the crime scene with Ulemek and found no differences in their features. George points out that the police failed to follow up on crucial leads and instead targeted him as an easy scapegoat. Michelle criticizes the police for sitting on evidence for 25 years and calls for a formal inquiry into the Mirror’s findings. Both George and Michelle demand that the true culprit responsible for Jill’s murder should be sought, found, and brought to justice in a court of law.
Despite facing wrongful conviction and years of fighting to prove his innocence, George holds no ill will towards the true perpetrator of Jill Dando’s murder. He expresses sadness for the crime committed and emphasizes the importance of bringing the guilty party to account through a court of law. Ulemek’s lawyer has declined to comment on the allegations, and Scotland Yard has stated that the investigation into the murder is currently inactive. However, they remain open to considering any new information that may shed light on the case. George and his sister continue to push for a thorough investigation into the new evidence that points to a suspect in Serbia.
