Dando trial hears of denials

Barry George denies murdering Jill Dando

The jury in the Jill Dando murder trial has been shown the dramatic moment when detectives asked the man accused of her killing: "Did you shoot Jill Dando?"

A videotape of a police interview showed detectives asking Barry George four times whether he was the killer.

Each time he replied: "No sir."

Miss Dando was found dead on her doorstep

Mr George, 41, of Crookham Road, Fulham, west London, has denied murdering the BBC television presenter on 26 April, 1999.

Asked how firearm residue came to be found in his coat pocket, Mr George replied: "I cannot explain. I have no knowledge."

Detective Constable Tim Snowden asked: "Is it possible it got there because you were at the scene of the crime and you were the person who shot Miss Dando.

'No explanation'

"It's consistent with the firearms residue found in the cartridge at the scene of the crime, could you explain that to me?"

Mr George replied: "I cannot explain that."

Up until her death I did not know who Jill Dando was.

Barry George

She was shot through the head outside her home in Gowan Avenue, Fulham.

The accused also denied to police knowing who Miss Dando was before her death and said he had no problems with BBC employees or journalists.

Asked in the videotaped interview if he had an "attitude" about employees of the BBC, Mr George replied: "Not in the slightest - not of a bad nature anyway.

"I have no problem with anyone at the BBC. I do not have any difficulty with them whatsoever."

'False' claim

DC Snowden asked Mr George during an interview if he had a problem with Jill Dando as she was a journalist.

Mr George replied: "Up until her death I did not know who Jill Dando was and that is the truth of the matter, sir.

"I actually did not know who she was and would not have been able to recognise her."

The prosecution alleges this claim was "patently false".

Mr George denied having any particular interest in television.

Stunt man

Shown a picture of a TV presenter taken from television output, he said he did not recall taking it.

He told police he had been married for a short time to a Japanese woman but could not remember exactly when he married.

He was described as a stunt man on his wedding certificate and Mr George told police he worked at outdoor shows.

"On some occasions they have funfair events or a solo event set up on its own such as, for example, Evel Knievel.

"I have formed a roller-skating event jumping four double-decker buses, sir," Mr George said.

The case continues.