MANCHESTER'S legal expertise played a key part in Barry George's successful defence in the Jill Dando murder trial.
Jeremy Moore of St John Street-based Carter Moore acted for Mr George for the last four years, while near neighbour Jeffrey Samuels of St John's Buildings was junior barrister at the high-profile case that saw the acquittal of 48-year-old Mr George for the murder of the BBC TV personality outside her London home.
Mr Moore, 40, said the case was 'the most challenging one anyone could be involved with.'
"Mr George wrote to us when he was in prison on another matter," He said: "We went to see him and ended up acting for him on the appeal and retrial."
Mr Moore said he and the other members of the legal team had always been 'quietly confident' their client would be cleared.
In the run-up to the retrial at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Mr George was moved to Manchester Prison in order to allow his legal team to have easy access to him.
"Mr George was a demanding client - he suffers from a mental disability and I think he found it difficult to understand the issues," Mr Moore said.
He is now working with another Manchester lawyer, David Wacks, on seeking a compensation deal for Mr George, who was cleared last Friday.