The man found guilty of murdering BBC presenter Jill Dando has begun his second attempt to overturn his conviction at the Court of Appeal.
A single particle of gunshot residue is at the centre of an appeal by the man found guilty of murdering BBC presenter Jill Dando, senior judges have heard.
Barry George is serving life for shooting dead Miss Dando outside her west London home in 1999.
It is the second attempt by Barry George, 47, to overturn his conviction.
George lost an appeal three years later, but his lawyers now argue that firearms evidence presented by the prosecution at his trial was flawed.
His lawyer, William Clegg, told the Court of Appeal the forensic evidence would form the sole ground of appeal.
If the court does decide the conviction is unsafe, it may order a retrial.
George is serving life for shooting Miss Dando dead outside her west London home in 1999. He was found guilty in 2001 and lost an appeal a year later.
'Golden girl'
George's appeal centres on a tiny speck of forensic evidence, that is visible only through a powerful microscope.
JILL DANDO MURDER CASE 26 April 1999 Jill Dando is shot dead in west London25 May 2000 Barry George, also known as Barry Bulsara, is arrested29 May 2000 George is charged with murder2 July 2001 George is found guilty of murder and later sentenced to life29 July 2002 George loses an appeal against his "unsafe" conviction16 Dec 2002 House of Lords refuses permission for further challenge20 June 2007 The Criminal Cases Review Commission grants George the right to another appeal Background to caseJill Dando: TV's golden girlProfile: Barry George
At his trial in 2001, the prosecution said a spherical particle found in Barry George's coat pocket provided "compelling" evidence of guilt.
The prosecution claim it is a speck of gunshot residue from the murder weapon, but lawyers for George say fresh analysis has established that the particle has "no value" as evidence.
George's lawyers argue the particle could have come from another source, or may have been transferred accidentally to the coat when it was examined.
He was found guilty by a majority verdict of 10 to one after the Old Bailey jury heard forensic scientists had found a single speck of residue from the gun used to kill Miss Dando, 37, in the pocket of his coat.
When granting the second appeal in June of this year, the Criminal Cases Review Commission said that at George's trial too much emphasis was placed on the speck of forensic evidence.
Described as the "golden girl of television", Miss Dando presented BBC programmes including the Six O'clock News, Breakfast News, Crimewatch and Holiday.
