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Dando killer 'looked like TV comedian Bob Mills'
Paul Cheston, Courts Correspondent19 Jun 2008
The jury in the Jill Dando trial was told today that her killer resembled TV comedy writer and presenter Bob Mills.
Miss Dando's former next-door neighbour, Richard Hughes, described to the Old Bailey how on the night of her murder he heard her lock her car, swing open her gate and then scream.
As he looked out of his bedroom window he saw a man briskly walk away from the scene who, he told prosecutor Jonathan Laidlaw QC, reminded him of "the comedian and TV character called Bob Mills".
The former stock market trader added: "I was familiar with [Bob Mills] from watching a TV quiz show at the time."
Mr Justice Griffith Williams interrupted to ask the jury if any of them had heard of Bob Mills: three nodded and the rest shook their heads.
The jury was then shown two large photographs taken from stills from one of Mills's programmes. Mills presented TV quiz show Win, Lose Or Draw and wrote Michael Barrymore's series Bob Martin. A court order prohibits either of these pictures or any others of Mills from being published.
Miss Dando was killed by a single shot to the head on the doorstep of her home in Gowan Avenue, Fulham at about 11.30am on 26 April 1999.
Barry George, 48 of Fulham, is standing trial for the second time for the murder. He has pleaded not guilty.
Mr Hughes, 40, said that, after he heard her scream: "I looked directly out of the window and a gentleman was walking past from my right to the left towards Fulham Palace Road.
"I saw him directly in front of the window. The view I had was side on but as he moved he turned quickly to face backwards. He was walking briskly."
Mr Hughes described the man as white, between 30 and 40, around 5ft8ins, "chunky or full built", with straight dark brown or black hair.
His face was "jowly" and clean shaven and in his right hand he held what Mr Hughes took to be a mobile phone.
In May 2000 after George was arrested Mr Hughes attended an ID parade but was unable to make an identification.
The case continues.
