George has always denied involvement in Miss Dando's death

Orlando Pownall QC, for the prosecution, told the Court of Appeal that new firearms evidence did not render his conviction "unsafe".

George, 47, is serving life for shooting Miss Dando dead outside her west London home in 1999.

He is trying for a second time to have his 2001 conviction overturned.

On the second day of George's challenge, Mr Pownall told the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips, Lord Justice Leveson and Mr Justice Simon, that the Crown "contends that the new evidence referred to does not render the conviction of the appellant unsafe".

Evidence 'neutralised'

George's lawyer, William Clegg, previously told the court that the conviction was unsafe because fresh evidence "neutralised" evidence relating to a single speck of firearm discharge residue found in his coat pocket after his arrest.

But Mr Pownall said: "Although inevitably the merits of the appeal will concentrate on the FDR (firearm discharge residue) evidence, it was but one component of what was a compelling circumstantial case."

Jill Dando was shot dead on her doorstep in April 1999

George 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.

He lost his first appeal a year later.

When granting the second appeal in June this year, the Criminal Cases Review Commission said too much emphasis had been placed on the speck of firearm discharge at George's trial.

Described as the "golden girl of television", Miss Dando presented BBC programmes including the Six O'Clock News, Breakfast News, Crimewatch and Holiday.