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Daily Record
26-04-2025
- Daily Record
Key 18 minutes of Jill Dando murder including sweating man and betting slip
Eight witnesses of Jill Dando's murder have described seeing a man acting suspiciously during a crucial 18 minute period. Every one of them spoke of a white man of a roughly similar age, height and build wearing dark, smart clothing, who was near the crime scene in Fulham, South West London. On the morning of April 26, 1999, five said he stood out because he was running in a suit, while two said he was sweating heavily. All of the sightings were made between the moment when Jill was last seen alive , at approximately 11.29am, and when her body was discovered at 11.47am. In the weeks after the murder, they were the main focus of the police investigation, with officers releasing an efit of a "sweating man" they were hunting. Despite raising actions to "trace, interview and eliminate" the man or men from their enquiries, he or they, are still wanted 26 years on, reports the Mirror . Detectives homed in on a local man with severe learning difficulties, Barry George, nearly a year after the murder. Crucially, none of the eight witnesses said George was the man they had seen. He was jailed for eight years for the murder before being cleared after a retrial. Police are now being urged to launch a review after a van driver, one of the eight witnesses, said a man he nearly hit looked like ruthless Serbian assassin Milorad Ulemek. A female witness told us last year that she was certain she had seen Ulemek in the same stretch of the Fulham Palace Road at around the same time. Ulemek, who speaks good English, was of a similar age, build, height and hair colour to the descriptions given by the eight. Now 57 and serving 40 years in a Serbian jail, he led a unit of hitmen and plotted assassinations for late Serbian dictator Slobodan Milosevic. Last year we named him for the first time in connection with Jill's murder after a facial comparison expert said he was identical to a CCTV image of a man still wanted for questioning. At the time Jill was shot , UK planes were bombing Serbia and she was one of the most famous faces on TV, presenting BBC shows such as Crimewatch and Holiday. It was feared Jill may have been targeted for fronting a BBC charity appeal for Kosovan refugees. A third witness , Ken Williams, now 83, had just placed a bet when he reported seeing an athletic suspect spin off the bonnet of a moving car on the same stretch of road as the two motorist witnesses. Ken was waiting at a pelican crossing on the Fulham Palace Road with his black labrador Angie when the man appeared approximately 300 meters from where Jill lay dead outside her Gowan Avenue home. The exact time that Jill was killed is not known for certain. Ken's betting slip had a timestamp of 11.37.02, police files show, and the Tote bookies was less than two minutes walk from the pelican crossing. Jill had last been seen alive at around 11.29 getting into her car a few minutes drive from her home. Her neighbour, Richard Hughes, then a 32-year-old financial trader, told detectives he saw the killer a few minutes after he had made a short phone call which billing records showed was at 11.33, police files reveal. Mr Hughes told detectives he thought the murder was "nearer to 11.40". But the only other person to definitely see the gunman , Goeffrey Upfill-Brown, then 71, estimated it could not have been after 11.29, a finding contradicted by the last known sighting. Jill's body was not discovered immediately and the first 999 call was made at 11.47. A sixth witness was standing at a bus stop eating an orange 120 meters from Ken on the Fulham Palace Road at approximately 11.40. The 34-year-old man told police he was joined by a "sweating man" in a dark suit in his 30s who was 5ft11 who crossed the road from the direction of Bishops Park Road. An e-fit produced by this witness looks like Ulemek and features a mark across the bridge of his nose. The Serb has a similar distinctive mark. He said: "He was white but had what I call a foreign was prominent. It also had a very obvious mark across the bridge similar to somebody who would wear glasses a lot." He said the man appeared "agitated as if something was wrong" and was sweating so much his collar was wet. The sweating man failed to get on either the 74 or the 220 the only two buses that the stop served and the witness said this "registered this as a strange event". He went to police as soon as he heard Jill had been murdered because he felt he had seen something important. The seventh witness was a driver of the 74 bus who came forward after recognising the e-fit. He said it was just after 11.45 when he picked up a man in his 30s wearing a dark suit who was sweating. The passenger said "Putney Bridge station" in a quiet voice with no noticeable accent and got off at around 11.56. The female motorist, one of the two witnesses who says she saw Ulemek, was driving north up the Fulham Palace Road around 200 meters from where Ken was. Her vehicle was captured on CCTV crossing Putney Bridge from south of the river at 11.24am and the prosecution at George's trial claimed she was too early to see the killer . But the woman, who said she knew the stretch of road well, believed it could have taken her up to 15 minutes, meaning she could have seen the gunman. She picked out the man she saw running in CCTV a month after the murder. The suspect, in a dark suit and tie known as "Man X", was pictured in Putney Bridge tube station at 12.00.32, close to the 74 bus stop where the driver said the man got off. In a report compiled for the Daily Mirror, facial comparison expert Emi Polito could find no differences between Ulemek and Man X. The eighth witness was a 23-year-old aromatherapist who was at home on the Fulham Palace Road when she said she saw a man run past in a suit while talking on a mobile phone.
Daily Mirror
26-04-2025
- Daily Mirror
Mystery 18 minutes of Jill Dando murder – betting slip, sweating man and key mark
Eight Jill Dando murder witnesses described seeing a white man of a roughly similar age, height and build in dark, smart clothing acting suspiciously around the time she was killed Eight Jill Dando murder witnesses described seeing a man acting suspiciously during a crucial 18 minute period. Each one spoke of a white man of a roughly similar age, height and build wearing dark, smart clothing, in and around the crime scene in Fulham, South West London. Five said he stood out because he was running in a suit, while two said he was sweating heavily on the morning of April 26, 1999. The sightings were all made between the moment when Jill was last seen alive, at approximately 11.29am, and when her body was discovered at 11.47am. They were the main focus of the police investigation in the weeks after the murder and officers released an efit of a "sweating man" they were hunting. Despite raising actions to "trace, interview and eliminate" the man or men from their enquiries, he or they, are still wanted 26 years on. Detectives homed in on Barry George, a local man with severe learning difficulties, nearly a year after the murder. Crucially, none of the eight witnesses said George was the man they had seen. He was jailed for eight years for the murder before being cleared after a retrial. Police are now being urged to launch a review after a van driver, one of the eight witnesses, said a man he nearly hit looked like ruthless Serbian assassin Milorad Ulemek. A female witness told us last year that she was certain she had seen Ulemek in the same stretch of the Fulham Palace Road at around the same time. Ulemek, who speaks good English, was of a similar age, build, height and hair colour to the descriptions given by the eight. Now 57 and serving 40 years in a Serbian jail, he led a unit of hitmen and plotted assassinations for late Serbian dictator Slobodan Milosevic. Last year we named him for the first time in connection with Jill's murder after a facial comparison expert said he was identical to a CCTV image of a man still wanted for questioning. In the light of our investigation, MPs have called for the case to be reopened and the top barrister who prosecuted Milosevic for war crimes says Ulemek should be investigated. At the time Jill was shot, UK planes were bombing Serbia and she was one of the most famous faces on TV, presenting BBC shows such as Crimewatch and Holiday. Within hours of her murder, the BBC took a call claiming it was in response to a Nato attack on a Belgrade TV station. It was feared Jill may have been targeted for fronting a BBC charity appeal for Kosovan refugees. A third witness, Ken Williams, now 83, had just placed a bet when he reported seeing an athletic suspect spin off the bonnet of a moving car on the same stretch of road as the two motorist witnesses. Ken was waiting at a pelican crossing on the Fulham Palace Road with his black labrador Angie when the man appeared approximately 300 meters from where Jill lay dead outside her Gowan Avenue home. He said: "I thought that was the man that killed her because he came from Gowan Avenue. Why would he run across that road like that when the traffic was moving? I thought it was mad." The exact time that Jill was killed is not known for certain. Ken's betting slip had a timestamp of 11.37.02, police files show, and the Tote bookies was less than two minutes walk from the pelican crossing. Jill had last been seen alive at around 11.29 getting into her car a few minutes drive from her home. Her neighbour, Richard Hughes, then a 32-year-old financial trader, told detectives he saw the killer a few minutes after he had made a short phone call which billing records showed was at 11.33, police files reveal. Mr Hughes told detectives he thought the murder was "nearer to 11.40". But the only other person to definitely see the gunman, Goeffrey Upfill-Brown, then 71, estimated it could not have been after 11.29, a finding contradicted by the last known sighting. Jill's body was not discovered immediately and the first 999 call was made at 11.47. A sixth witness was standing at a bus stop eating an orange 120 meters from Ken on the Fulham Palace Road at approximately 11.40. The 34-year-old man told police he was joined by a "sweating man" in a dark suit in his 30s who was 5ft11 who crossed the road from the direction of Bishops Park Road. He told police on the day of the murder: "This was strange because the man was dressed smartly and it didn't seem right for him to have been running. He hadn't run when I saw him and he wasn't obviously out of breath, this automatically drew my attention to him." They stood a few feet apart leaning on a wall for six minutes, the witness said. An e-fit produced by this witness looks like Ulemek and features a mark across the bridge of his nose. The Serb has a similar distinctive mark. He said: "He was white but had what I call a foreign was prominent. It also had a very obvious mark across the bridge similar to somebody who would wear glasses a lot." He said the man appeared "agitated as if something was wrong" and was sweating so much his collar was wet. The sweating man failed to get on either the 74 or the 220 the only two buses that the stop served and the witness said this "registered this as a strange event". He went to police as soon as he heard Jill had been murdered because he felt he had seen something important. The seventh witness was a driver of the 74 bus who came forward after recognising the e-fit. He said it was just after 11.45 when he picked up a man in his 30s wearing a dark suit who was sweating. The passenger said "Putney Bridge station" in a quiet voice with no noticeable accent and got off at around 11.56. The female motorist, one of the two witnesses who says she saw Ulemek, was driving north up the Fulham Palace Road around 200 meters from where Ken was. Her vehicle was captured on CCTV crossing Putney Bridge from south of the river at 11.24am and the prosecution at George's trial claimed she was too early to see the killer. But the woman, who said she knew the stretch of road well, believed it could have taken her up to 15 minutes, meaning she could have seen the gunman. She picked out the man she saw running in CCTV a month after the murder. The suspect, in a dark suit and tie known as "Man X", was pictured in Putney Bridge tube station at 12.00.32, close to the 74 bus stop where the driver said the man got off. In a report compiled for the Daily Mirror, facial comparison expert Emi Polito could find no differences between Ulemek and Man X. The eighth witness was a 23-year-old aromatherapist who was at home on the Fulham Palace Road when she said she saw a man run past in a suit while talking on a mobile phone. Hamish Campbell, the retired detective who led the investigation into Jill's murder, said last year that by November 1999 he had established that the "sweating man" in the e-fit was not the killer. He added that he was sure the "running man", if he was another person, was also not the killer. Mr Campbell said this was achieved by drawing up detailed analysis charts of what the witnesses reported seeing, showing timings and the differences in the descriptions. Ex-Met Det Chief Supt Barry Webb reviewed the case after five weeks. He described Mr Campbell as a "professional and talented officer" who was investigating all possible hypotheses with an "open mind". Mr Webb said: "In regard to the 'running man' it was my view there was insufficient nexus to the shooting for this to be treated as high priority." He added: "I believe that any review should take into consideration your research." The Met said: "No unsolved murder is ever closed and detectives would consider any new information."
Daily Mirror
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Secret files and bombshell book that could solve mystery of Jill Dando's murder
Five warnings were issued by UK security officials that Serbia may have been planning revenge covert attacks in Europe in the weeks before Jill Dando was murdered on her doorstep British security officials gave five warnings that Serbian commandos might be planning attacks abroad before Jill Dando was murdered, declassified documents reveal. It was feared that desperate dictator Slobodan Milosevic had dispatched secret military units into Europe in response to Nato's bombing of Yugoslavia which began on March 24, 1999. None of the secret files were made available to the Met Police team investigating Jill's murder a month later, it is understood. It comes as the Daily Mirror revealed fresh evidence suggesting that the former Crimewatch presenter may have been killed by ruthless Serbian assassin Milorad Ulemek. At the time, Ulemek, then 31, led the unit that targeted opponents of brutal Milosevic. The Yugoslav war was raging and UK planes were bombing Serbia when Jill was shot dead on her doorstep on April 26, 1999. Within hours of her murder, the BBC took a call claiming the death was in response. A man said: "Tell your Prime Minister, in Belgrade 15 people were killed, so 14 more to go." It was feared that Jill had been targeted because she had fronted a charity appeal for Kosovan refugees 20 days earlier. Ulemek's former spymaster Dragan Filipović revealed that he had dispatched several of his special forces soldiers into Europe to carry out revenge killings in response to the bombings. Filipović, known as Major Fića, wrote in his 2008 book, Anatomy of the Globalist Stink, that one operation was carried out leading to "great confusion" in Europe. National Archives files show concerns were first raised in the UK on April 4, 1999, that Serbian units might be covertly deployed in Nato countries to carry out revenge attacks. A "secret" Ministry of Defence briefing on day 11 of the bombing campaign, codenamed Operation Allied Force, said: "According to Italian intelligence at least 70 Serb elements might have departed for various NATO European countries, allegedly to conduct terrorist operations against trains and subway stations." The next day an MoD memo marked "Secret UK eyes only" stated: "Reports suggest Serbs may start terror campaign in Western Europe, they are assessed to have limited capability in this field." Another "MoD rolling brief", written three days later, said the Yugoslavian Interior Ministry "allegedly will dispatch special commando units, in unspecified western European countries, in the near future". It added: "Additional reporting indicates that at least 70 Serb extremists might be travelling, on false passports, to NATO countries to conduct terrorist activities." It is known that Ulemek later used a stolen Croatian passport to travel the world as he planned the assassination of then Serbian President Zoran Djindjic in 2003. The document was stamped at 26 European border crossings, Interpol's former Secretary General Ronald Noble said in 2011. On April 20, six days before Jill was murdered, a Nato intelligence report marked "secret" said that it had been reported that Milosevic personally "dispatched a team, on 19 April, to Italy to conduct terrorist activities". In a Disasters Emergency Committee appeal made on April 6, Jill described Kosovo as a "former Yugoslavian region", something that would have enraged nationalist Filipovic who saw it as the "cradle" of his country. In his 2008 book he railed against non-governmental organisations which he said were based on the doctrine of "special war" and were designed to destabilise foreign leaders in the interests of the West. Jill's BBC appeal was on behalf of some of the UK's largest NGOs, potentially making her a legitimate target in Filipovic's warped view. A Serbian source with knowledge of the country's security services said of Jill's appeal: "It could be perceived as part of a 'special war' against Milosevic and Serbia and the secret service could have taken some [action]." At the time Milorad "Legija" Ulemek was a senior member of the Jedinica za specijalne operacije (JSO) - a 500-man unit of the Serbian Intelligence Service that Filipovic founded and selected his operatives from. The source said that it was Filipović, now in his 60s, who headhunted Ulemek for his JSO unit after they met while fighting in Croatia and Bosnia during the Yugoslav wars of the early 1990s. He persuaded the former French Foreign Legion soldier to shift allegiances from warlord Zeljko Raznatovic Arkan's Serbian Volunteer Guard, or Tigers, the source said. READ MORE: Spy chief's revelation blows open mystery of Jill Dando's unsolved murder Major Fića, was believed to have accompanied Ulemek when he attempted to assassinate Serb politician Vuk Draskovic in October 1999, the source added. Ulemek later told a court that he contacted Filipović's boss to make himself available for a "special operation" on April 15, 1999, eleven days before Jill was killed. The ruthless killer said that he was fighting in Kosovo when he made the offer to the head of the security services, Radomir Markovic. Markovic and Ulemek are serving 40 years in jail for plotting two assassinations for brutal dictator Milosevic, who died in 2006, and his powerful nationalist wife Mira Markovic. Known as the "Lady Macbeth of the Balkans", Filipović was close to Mira who was suspected of plotting state-sponsored assassinations. She later fled to Russia where she died in 2019. Mira played a major role in the bloody end of her husband's rule, including the murders of journalist Slavko Curuvija and former president Ivan Stambolic. The Serbian source said in "the terminal phase" of the Milosevic government the security services were controlled by a "notorious" inner circle close to his wife and that notorious inner circle. He said: "In their criminal minds the idea was conceived of eliminating political opponents and journalists." One of a handful of European Kung Fu masters to train with Shaolin monks, Filipović is understood to have fled to China as Curuvija's killers were arrested. In April 1999, he was Special Advisor to Markovic, then head of the Serbian State Security Services, known as "DB". Filipović wrote: "My responsibilities included planning, organizing and carrying out special intelligence and subversive actions against NATO member states, as well as states that supported them during the attack on Yugoslavia, with the aim of endangering their political stability and combat readiness. The tasks particularly included secret reprisal actions deep inside enemy territory." Filipović wrote that he was ordered to halt the plots by Markovic in June 1999, when a peace treaty was signed. "In the meantime, one of the previously initiated actions, although with considerable delay, was successfully implemented, which caused a great confusion in Europe." He does not specify what the "radical action" was, though the clear implication is that it was a state-sponsored assassination.
Edinburgh Live
25-04-2025
- Edinburgh Live
New Jill Dando murder revelation as fresh witness identifies notorious hitman
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A van driver has come forward with potentially crucial information regarding the murder of Crimewatch presenter Jill Dando, claiming he saw a man resembling a known hitman near the crime scene. The key witness was driving close to where 37 year old Dando was shot dead outside her home on April 26, 1999. He told police two days later that he had spotted a man in a dark suit running across Fulham Palace Road in South West London, hardly acknowledging his Ford Transit. Upon viewing images of Serbian hitman Milorad Ulemek, the witness remarked: "He does look like the man I saw." This comes after a female witness informed the Mirror last year that she was sure she had seen Ulemek running down the same road around the time of the incident. Ulemek, aged 57, led a group of hitmen for Slobodan Milosevic's oppressive regime; Milosevic passed away in 2006 while on trial for war crimes. The lead prosecutor in Milosevic's case has suggested that Ulemek should be looked into as part of the investigation into Dando's murder, especially following the Mirror's findings, reports the Manchester Evening News. Sir Geoffrey Nice KC stated: "I would encourage the police to be open minded given there are new pieces of evidence that may not have been considered and it would be helpful if they are considered." At the time of Dando's assassination, the Yugoslav conflict was ongoing, with UK forces bombing Serbia. Shortly after her death, the BBC received a call alleging that her killing was retaliation for the NATO bombings. Now, the former van driver claims he is "80% sure" that it was Ulemek whom he nearly hit with his vehicle shortly after the celebrity was fatally shot outside her home, as reported by the Mirror. He shared with the Mirror his belief that the police should look into Ulemek, a twice-convicted murderer currently serving a 40-year sentence in Serbia. The witness, a man in his 60s who wishes to remain anonymous, expressed his willingness to speak with detectives, stating: "She was taken from her family in a despicable way. How could someone do something like that to a woman like that?". At the time, the witness gave a statement saying: "I had to slam my brakes on to stop or I would have crashed into him. He ran out and I managed to stop about two or three meters away from him. I noticed that the man was looking behind him from where he had just run from. "I shouted 'you arsehole', the man was still running across the road, he didn't look at me when I shouted to him, he just continued to run. I was still not moving and I watched him run into a park." Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE. Upon learning of Jill's murder at her Gowan Avenue residence, located roughly 600 meters from the incident, the witness immediately contacted the authorities. "I immediately remembered the man running out in front of me," he recounted. "I had a good clear look at this male as he was about two or three metres away from me, and was in my sight for about five seconds, I would possibly recognise him again," he added. The former van driver shared a recent account with us, saying: "Anyone else would have said f*** off or sorry but he didn't say anything, he just wanted to get away and that's what made me suspicious. It looked like he was running from something. If I had known I would have got hold of him." He described the suspect to police as donning a dark "suit-type jacket" combined with coordinating trousers, standing 5ft 10 or 11, and in the age range of late 20s to early 30s, sporting a medium build, and short black hair that was kept longer on top. These details closely match Ulemek, who is 31 years old, similar in build, height, and hairstyle—and align with a description given by a female driver. That same motorist recounted to the Daily Mirror last year her conviction that Ulemek was the neatly attired gentleman she witnessed hastily fleeing the scene. In her statement to the police a day subsequent to the murder, she recalled seeing a man clad in a dark suit looking visibly shocked. Moreover, a month after the incident, she positively identified him as "Man X" seen on CCTV footage at a nearby underground station, as disclosed by police records. Facial comparison expert Emi Polito, in an analysis prepared for the Daily Mirror, observed that the person appearing in the video—identified as N6814 in police documents—possesses comparable features such as the mouth, chin, and hairline to Ulemek. Mr. Polito could not discern any distinct differences between the two individuals. The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that N6814 remains a person of interest for inquiry. Only four individuals, including the two witnesses mentioned, had a clear enough view of a suspect to help create an e-fit. Calls for a renewed investigation have been made after the Met closed the case a decade ago, following the overturning of Barry George's conviction in 2008. George, who has significant learning disabilities, served eight years behind bars after being convicted for the murder in 2001. Jill's case hasn't seen a review since 2018, and last year the Met declined to probe new evidence without engaging with the female driver, reviewing Mr Polito's report, or analysing the CCTV footage. Former Met Detective Chief Superintendent Barry Webb, who re-examined the murder in 1999, commented that there was "insufficient nexus to the shooting" to consider the "running man" as a "high priority." However, Webb did acknowledge: "I believe that any review should take into consideration your research." BBC veteran John Simpson, who was in Belgrade when his friend and colleague was murdered, stated: "There should, I think, be a full review of the case." Andy Slaughter, Labour MP for Hammersmith and chair of the Commons Justice Committee, remarked: "It's important there's an investigation because there is a possibility that a suspect has been identified. I think you have done enough to justify a fresh investigation and it's curious that the Met don't want to examine it." Ben Coleman, Labour MP for Fulham, has called for a review of the case in light of new evidence, including eyewitness accounts, uncovered by the Mirror investigation. He stated: "Given the new information, including eyewitness accounts, that has come to light thanks to the Mirror investigation, I believe there is a strong argument for the case to be reviewed and the recent findings fully investigated." Former Chief Crown Prosecutor Nazir Afzal echoed this sentiment, saying: "These findings must be investigated." Matt Foot, co-director of the miscarriages of justice organisation Appeal, criticised the Met's refusal to investigate our findings, stating: "Barry George is being thwarted by the very same people who put him in prison and a system that doesn't want to admit that it got it wrong." A source familiar with the Serbian security services suggested that the police should scrutinise the situation more closely, saying: "I think that they [the police] need to have a closer look at all of this. There are doubts and questions that are not answered. "Maybe this is just a theory but there is evidence in this moment supporting that theory. "". Former French Foreign Legionnaire and gang boss Ulemek, Serbia's most notorious paramilitary soldier whose units were allegedly accountable for some of the worst atrocities in the Yugoslav wars, was convicted for the murders of Serbian ex-President Ivan Stambolic in 2000 and its first democratically elected PM, Zoran Djindjic in 2003. When asked if he murdered Jill, Ulemek's lawyer Aleksander Kovacevic said last year that his client did not wish to comment. Mr Kovacevic has not responded to repeated requests for a comment this year. The Met Police have stated: "In the years since Jill Dando's murder, the investigation has been subject to numerous reviews, aiming to identify whether matters could be progressed with advances in technology and forensics. The investigation is now in an inactive phase, which means that it is not currently subject to routine reviews. However no unsolved murder is ever closed and detectives would consider any new information provided to assess whether it represented a new and realistic line of enquiry." Reports indicate that Ulemek has experienced three thwarted attempts to escape from Zabela high-security prison and is eligible to apply for early release in 2030. His latest attempt at freedom in November was unsuccessful.
Irish Daily Mirror
25-04-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Jill Dando murder bombshell: Second witness claims notorious assassin is Man X
A van driver who witnessed a man sprinting near the Jill Dando murder scene has come forward to claim that the runner bore a striking resemblance to notorious hitman Milorad Ulemek. The crucial eye-witness, who was driving in the vicinity shortly after the Crimewatch presenter, aged 37, was gunned down outside her residence on April 26, 1999, informed officers two days after the incident that a man clad in a dark suit dashed across his Ford Transit's path on Fulham Palace Road in South West London, without so much as a glance. Upon viewing our exclusive photos of the Serbian contract killer, he affirmed: "He does look like the man I saw." This follows another account by a woman last year, exclusively to us, who expressed certainty about spotting Ulemek running along that identical road around the time in question. Currently 57 years-old, Ulemek helmed a squadron of executioners commissioned by Slobodan Milosevic, the infamous tyrant who perished in 2006 while facing trial for atrocities. The chief prosecutor in Milosevic's case, Sir Geoffrey Nice KC, pointed out that Ulemek ought to be probed in connection to Jill's slaying, based on findings from the Daily Mirror's inquiry. Sir Geoffrey commented: "I would encourage the police to be open minded given there are new pieces of evidence that may not have been considered and it would be helpful if they are considered," reports the Mirror. At the time when Jill met her tragic end, conflict devastated Yugoslavia. Mere hours following her assassination, the BBC was contacted with a statement asserting her death was retaliation for the bombardment. The ex-van driver recounted being "80% sure" it was Ulemek whom he nearly hit, mere moments after the beloved TV figure was fatally shot at her home. A key witness has brought forward crucial evidence in the case of the twice-convicted murderer known as Ulemek, presently doing time in a Serbian prison for a 40-year stretch. Speaking to the Mirror, the man in his 60s, who wishes to remain anonymous, insisted he's willing to aid police with their inquiries, remarking: "She was taken from her family in a despicable way. How could someone do something like that to a woman like that?." At the time of the incident, the same witness made a statement saying: "I had to slam my brakes on to stop or I would have crashed into him. He ran out and I managed to stop about two or three meters away from him. I noticed that the man was looking behind him from where he had just run from." He recalled his immediate reaction towards the suspect: "I shouted 'you arsehole', the man was still running across the road, he didn't look at me when I shouted to him, he just continued to run. I was still not moving and I watched him run into a park." The near-collision stuck with him, and when news of Jill being tragically attacked outside her Gowan Avenue residence, which was merely 600 metres away, broke, he immediately got in touch with law enforcement. "I immediately remembered the man running out in front of me," he says. He believes there is a good chance he can identify the man. "I had a good clear look at this male as he was about two or three metres away from me, and was in my sight for about five seconds, I would possibly recognise him again," he claimed. The former van driver said: "Anyone else would have said f*** off or sorry but he didn't say anything, he just wanted to get away and that's what made me suspicious. It looked like he was running from something. If I had known I would have got hold of him." The key witness gave the cops a description, pointing out the suspect donned a dark "suit-type jacket" with trousers to match, stood 5ft 10 or 11, looked to be in his late 20s or early 30s, sported a medium build, and had short black hair that was longer up top. Ulemek, ticking all those boxes at 31, similar build and hair, was the spitting image of what a female driver described. She confidently told the Daily Mirror the previous year she reckons it was Ulemek, dressed sharp, whom she clocked haring it. Barely 24 hours after the crime, she pegged the dark-suited man with a shock on his face for the cops. A month later, and she's positive he's "Man X", the bloke on CCTV footage near a tube station, according to police documents. For the Daily Mirror's deep dive, face-match whiz Emi Polito cast an eye over the tape and lined up N6814—how he's known in the police brief—with Ulemek; same face, chin, and hairline spot on. Polito couldn't find any differences between the pair. The Met are still keen to talk with N6814, as confirmed by police. Only two out of four witnesses had a clear enough view to produce an e-fit of the suspect in a case that has been closed for ten years by the Met. The case was reopened after local man Barry George, who suffers from severe learning disabilities, had his conviction overturned in 2008. George spent eight years behind bars after being found guilty of murder in 2001. Jill's case hasn't been reviewed since 2018 and last year the Met declined to investigate new evidence without first visiting the female motorist, examining Mr Polito's report or reviewing the CCTV footage. Ex-Met Det Chief Supt Barry Webb, who reviewed the murder in 1999, stated there was "insufficient nexus to the shooting" for the "running man" to be treated as "high priority." However, Mr Webb added: "I believe that any review should take into consideration your research." Veteran BBC correspondent John Simpson, who was in Belgrade when his friend and colleague was killed, expressed: "There should, I think, be a full review of the case." Andy Slaughter, Labour MP for Hammersmith and chair of the Commons Justice Committee, voiced: "It's important there's an investigation because there is a possibility that a suspect has been identified. I think you have done enough to justify a fresh investigation and it's curious that the Met don't want to examine it." Labour MP for Fulham, Ben Coleman, has called for a review of the case in light of new information and eyewitness accounts unearthed by the Mirror. He stated: "Given the new information, including eyewitness accounts, that has come to light thanks to the Mirror investigation, I believe there is a strong argument for the case to be reviewed and the recent findings fully investigated." Former Chief Crown Prosecutor Nazir Afzal echoed this sentiment, stating: "These findings must be investigated." Matt Foot, co-director of the miscarriages of justice organisation Appeal, criticised the Met's refusal to investigate our findings, saying: "Barry George is being thwarted by the very same people who put him in prison and a system that doesn't want to admit that it got it wrong." A source familiar with the Serbian security services suggested that the police should take a closer look at the evidence, stating: "I think that they [the police] need to have a closer look at all of this. There are doubts and questions that are not answered. Maybe this is just a theory but there is evidence in this moment supporting that theory." Former French Foreign Legionnaire and gang boss Ulemek, Serbia's most infamous paramilitary soldier, was convicted of the murders of Serbian ex-President Ivan Stambolic in 2000 and its first democratically elected PM, Zoran Djindjic in 2003. His units were allegedly responsible for some of the worst atrocities in the Yugoslav wars. When asked if he murdered Jill, Ulemek's lawyer Aleksander Kovacevic said last year that his client did not wish to comment. Mr Kovacevic has not responded to repeated requests for a comment this year. The Met Police have confirmed: "In the years since Jill Dando's murder, the investigation has been subject to numerous reviews, aiming to identify whether matters could be progressed with advances in technology and forensics. The investigation is now in an inactive phase, which means that it is not currently subject to routine reviews. However no unsolved murder is ever closed and detectives would consider any new information provided to assess whether it represented a new and realistic line of enquiry." Reports indicate that Ulemek has had three escape attempts thwarted at the Zabela high-security prison and he is eligible to apply for early release in 2030 after his most recent failed attempt in November.
