English TV presenter Jill Dando is the subject of Netflix's new true crime documentary, exploring the details of her death and the investigation surrounding it.

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To this day, Jill Dando's death remains unsolved, despite it being one of the biggest investigations in British history.

Over the course of the investigation, only one person was convicted of her murder, but he was later acquitted.

Barry George, who lived near Dando, was charged and subsequently convicted in 2001. In 2008, his conviction was overturned after a retrial.

The documentary series features interviews with George and his sister in 2023.

Read on for everything you need to know about Barry George and where he is now.

What happened to Barry George?

In July 2001, Barry George was named guilty by a majority of 10-1 for Jill Dando's murder. He spent eight years in prison for her murder before it was quashed in 2008 after making several appeals.

According to The Independent, a day after Dando's murder, the police received an anonymous tip-off concerning a "mentally unstable man" who lived 500 yards from the presenter's home.

Following this, the police made an order for the tracing and identification of George, who at the time was known as Barry Bulsara.

The only hard piece of evidence prosecutors used to link him to the scene was a single particle of gunshot residue, which was found on a coat hanging in his wardrobe during a police search, Inside Time writes.

Ahead of the trial, he was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome and psychologists confirmed he had several personality disorders.

How did Barry George get acquitted?

Jill Dando with her hands under her chin, looking into camera
Jill Dando. Netflix

After being convicted, George appealed in 2002, but it was dismissed. He later appealed again in 2006 with new evidence.

Fresh scientific doubts over the prosecution's case emerged, causing the conviction to be quashed, and a retrial was ordered.

A hearing was then told it was "just as likely" that the particle of residue came from "some extraneous source as it was that it came from a gun fired".

In 2008, Barry George gained a retrial and was acquitted in August of the same year. Following his acquittal, George claimed he was the victim of a "miscarriage of justice" and fought for compensation, but lost his case as he had "failed the legal test" to receive an award.

Where is Barry George now?

Following his wrongful conviction, George moved to Ireland in the hopes of a quiet life.

He features in the Netflix documentary and says: "It makes me angry that they have taken eight years of my life."

Since his acquittal, George has won damages from tabloid newspapers over allegations published about him.

In December 2009, he accepted an undisclosed amount from the News Group Newspapers over articles published in The Sun and News of the World.

Who Killed Jill Dando? will stream on Netflix from 26th September 2023. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

Check out more of our Documentaries coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.

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Authors

Katelyn MensahEntertainment and Factual Writer

Katelyn Mensah is the Entertainment and Factual Writer for Radio Times, covering all major entertainment programmes, reality TV shows and the latest hard-hitting documentaries. She previously worked at The Tab, with a focus on reality TV and showbiz news and has obtained a BA (Hons) in Journalism.

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