Barry George denies historic attack on girl

The man wrongly convicted of murdering Crimewatch presenter Jill Dando  has denied a serious assault on a teenage girl.

Jill, 37, was shot outside her home in Fulham on 26 April 1999.

Barry George was found guilty of murdering her by an Old Bailey jury two years later and jailed for life.

His conviction was quashed in 2007 and the following year he was acquitted at retrial after serving eight years in jail.

George, 66, is now charged with one count of rape, two counts of indecent assault, and one count if attempted rape in 1987.

All the charges relate to the same 14-year-old girl.

The alleged victim is now in her 50s and the incidents are reported to have taken place in west London.

George, of County Cork, Republic of Ireland, denied all charges against him when he appeared
at Southwark Crown Court via video-link.

He is currently in Ireland with physical health problems.

A date was not fixed for his trial but there will be a further case management hearing on 30 September.

Judge Alexander Milne told George: ‘We have not set a date for your trial just yet, but it will be set in due course, and when it does get set you will have to attend court on that occasion.’

‘If you fail to do so the trial may proceed in your absence…I am sure you will be anxious to be in court on that occasion.’

Earlier Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, from the Metropolitan Police Service, said earlier: ’These charges follow an investigation by a team of Met detectives.

‘Specially trained officers continue to support the woman who has come forward.’