Nick Ross 'expected' appeal ruling
The following article appeared on AOL news in June 2007:
TV presenter Nick Ross, a former colleague of Jill Dando on the BBC's Crimewatch, told BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine programme he "rather expected" Barry George to be granted the right to a second appeal against his conviction for Dando's murder.
He said: "He's been an allowed an appeal in the past, which was turned down at the highest level."
Of the firearms evidence he said: "There have always been concerns about what I always thought was the most stupid piece of evidence from the start.
"I thought it was the most irrelevant piece of evidence of the lot."
Ross said while juries were very good at assessing some aspects, such as a person's morals, he did not believe they were as good at assessing scientific evidence.
And he said there were large amounts of other evidence that pointed to George as the murderer, such as witness statements, and his character.
Ross also dismissed suggestions from the time of the murder that Dando's death had been part of a conspiracy.
He said the murder did not bear any hallmarks of a professional killing.
Ross said: "If it wasn't Barry George you've got to have an alternative scenario.
"The defence was based on the fact that there was some sort of conspiracy. But no professional assassin would choose somewhere like Gowan Avenue, which is a straight road, and where there's no way of getting out without being seen."
Ross added: "I can't tell you definitely that Barry George did it, but if it was not Barry George it was someone very like him."
Author Scott Lomax, who's new book Justice For Jill: How the Wrong Man was Jailed for the Murder of Jill Dando is published next month, welcomed the decision.
He said: "I am delighted that the Criminal Cases Review Commission have found that there is sufficient new evidence questioning Barry George's guilt to warrant his case to be sent back to court.
"I have not yet spoken to Barry about this brilliant news but I am sure he will be overjoyed."
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