Barry George, 65, appeared at the Old Bailey accused of rape and indecent assault against a 14-year-old in 1987 – he was acquitted of murdering Crimewatch presenter Jill Dando in 2008
Barry George, the man previously acquitted of the murder of TV presenter Jill Dando, has been accused of raping a 14 year old girl 38 years ago.
The 65-year-old, from County Cork in the Republic of Ireland, faces charges of rape and two counts of indecent assault against the same minor, who cannot be named for legal reasons. The alleged incidents are said to have occurred in the Hammersmith and Fulham area of west London between September 6 and 12, 1987. Today (November 26), George appeared at the Old Bailey via video link from Dublin for a plea and case management hearing.
Dressed in a black jumper over a white shirt, George only spoke to confirm his name and date of birth. Judge Mark Lucraft KC agreed to postpone the plea hearing by 12 weeks to Friday, February 13.
Judge Lucraft stated that George could attend the next hearing via video link again and granted him continued unconditional bail. Last month, Det Supt Andy Furphy said: “These charges follow an investigation by a team of Met detectives. Specially trained officers continue to support the woman who has come forward”, reports the Mirror.
Lionel Idan, from CPS London South, stated: “Having carefully reviewed a file of evidence, the Crown Prosecution Service has taken the decision to prosecute Barry George, 65, on charges of rape and two counts of indecent assault. We remind all concerned that proceedings are active.”
George was apprehended on murder suspicion in 2000, a year after Ms Dando’s death. He was found guilty in 2001, but the Court of Appeal overturned this conviction in November 2007, and a jury acquitted him following a retrial in August 2008.
Former Crimewatch host Ms Dando, aged 37, was one of the BBC’s most prominent figures when she was shot outside her Fulham home in west London on 26 April 1999. Since then, no one has been convicted for her murder.
Over the last two years, a Daily Mirror investigation has unearthed new evidence linking a Serbian assassin to the 26 year old cold case. Witnesses alleged they saw Milorad Ulemek, 57, at the crime scene.
Ulemek, currently serving a 40-year sentence in a Serbian prison, orchestrated murders for the late dictator Slobodan Milosevic. Last year, we identified him for the first time after a facial comparison expert claimed he matched an image of a man near the scene.
MPs have called for the case to be reopened.
At the time of Jill’s murder, UK planes were bombing Serbia during the Kosovo War. She also led an appeal for Kosovan refugees.
Months before the killing, Jill had become engaged to gynaecologist Alan Farthing, with their wedding set for September 1999.