Police confronted George over gun

Police confronted the man accused of murdering TV presenter Jill Dando over whether he had ever possessed a gun, an Old Bailey trial has heard.

The jury saw a police interview video in which Barry George said he had never had a gun - and was then shown a photo of him holding a firearm.

Mr George also said during a police interview that he had never met Miss Dando, the court heard.

Mr George, 48, denies murdering the Crimewatch presenter on 26 April, 1999.

When Mr George was asked about the gun picture he told police he could not explain it.

He was told by officers it was the type of weapon which could have been used to murder Miss Dando. Mr George was then asked where the gun was.

He said the gun was a replica and he did not know where it was, but it had been with a friend of his.

'Exaggerating'

The court heard Mr George told police in an interview: "I have never seen Jill Dando in the flesh in any shape or form".

The interview took place at Hammersmith police station, west London, after Mr George's arrest more than a year after the killing in Fulham, west London.

The court also heard Mr George admit he had been lying when he claimed to be the cousin of Queen singer Freddie Mercury.

Asked if he was his cousin, Mr George replied: "No, not in any sense of the word or meaning."

He added that he had been "merely exaggerating" when he wrote in a condolence speech that he had been present when Miss Dando had interviewed Mercury.

Asked again if he had met Miss Dando, Mr George said: "Never ever in my entire life."

Mr George, of Fulham, is being retried, having first faced trial for the killing in 2001.