Barry George: They'll never find Jill's killer

Barry George told detectives reviewing the Jill Dando murder inquiry that they will never find her killer.

As a top Scotland Yard detective was given the go-ahead to review evidence in a bid to identify new leads, Mr George, the man acquitted of her murder, said the real killer needed “rough, straight” justice.

But he said: “To be quite honest and practical, I don’t think they’ll ever find who did it.”

Assistant Commissioner John Yates, who led the cash-for-honours inquiry, Detective Chief Superintendent Hamish Campbell, who was in charge of the original Dando inquiry, and Commander Simon Foy, head of the Yard’s homicide and serious crime unit, met yesterday to discuss the case.

Mr Yates said Mr Foy would now lead a team of specialist officers from Homicide Command in a re-examination of evidence in the wake of the acquittal of Barry George on Friday.

He said: “As with all unsolved murders, this case remains open and subject to review. A £50,000 (€63,000) reward from the charity Crimestoppers still remains available for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Jill’s murderer.

“We continue to appeal for any new information and keep an open mind in relation to this case.”

Mr George, 48, whose sister lives in Cork city, said he felt like he was in the “Twilight Zone” after being cleared on Friday of the TV presenter’s death following a retrial at the Old Bailey.

Reflecting on his eight-year fight for freedom during an interview with Sky News, Mr George criticised police as being “over-exuberant and obsessive” and said he did not know who Miss Dando was before he heard of her death.

He said: “To be quite honest and practical, I don’t think they’ll ever find who done it. Anyone who knows me knows it is not in my make-up at all. No one, but no one, should do that to a human being. I would say they need rough, straight justice.”

Mr George also indicated he was considering claiming compensation, saying his lawyers were “getting on with the legalities of it”.

He told how he was convinced a jury at the Old Bailey was going to find him guilty.

Remembering the moment they delivered the not-guilty verdict, he said: “I fell back in astonishment. I was just overwhelmed, in shock. I thought I was in the Twilight Zone. Is this reality? Is this real?”

He went on to criticise police, before adding: “I had no idea who she (Miss Dando) was. I had no idea, never met her in my life.”

When asked about other alleged stalkings and photos of Miss Dando at his house, he said: “They were trying to make a sinister case. I will look anyone in the eye and state: 'I did not kill Jill Dando’.”