Ten years on, Scotland Yard examine Serbian connection
Could the long running mystery surrounding the Fulham murder of TV presenter Jill Dando finally be solved?
The shooting of Crimewatch presenter Jill is being
re-examined by Scotland Yard, after a number of witnesses reported hearing a man confessing to killing her in a Belgrade bar.
Jill, 37 was shot dead outside her home in Gowan Avenue in 1999, and a local man, Barry George was subsequently convicted of the murder. George however always protested
his innocence, and was acquitted after a retrial held last August.
Since then, detectives have held a major review of the case and evidence has emerged that a man with a record of petty crime from the West Midlands, but of Serbian descent, had boasted about killing her during a drinking session in 2001 in the Portobello bar in Belgrade.
In the ten years since her death, there have been frequent rumours that Jill was assassinated by a Serbian hitman in revenge for NATO's bombing of Belgrade. At the time this theory was dismissed due to lack of evidence, but after a call to the charity Crimestoppers, police have interviewed witnesses who are reported to have heard the man's confession.
The witnesses said the man stood up and took a theatrical bow after claiming he was the killer.
Commander Simon Foy, head of the Metropolitan Police homicide squad is charge of the review. He said in a statement: " Part of the review of the Dando enquiry has been to look at all new information that has come forward after the trial and to action and research that as best we can."
A £50,000 reward from Crimestoppers is still on offer for information leading to the conviction of Jill's killer.
Michael Laurie CBE, Chief Executive of Crimestoppers, says: “Over the passage of time there must be someone out there who knows something about the murder of Jill Dando. If that person is unable to go the police with that information then they can contact Crimestoppers in total anonymity. We do not ask for names and addresses; calls are not traced or recorded. We are only interested in what you know, not who you are.”
Anyone with information can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
25th February 2009
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