A fatal accident inquiry into the death of a Scottish serial killer has been lodged by the Crown Office.
Peter Tobin, who was serving a full life order sentence, died on October 8 2022 at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary (ERI).
He had been an inmate at HMP Edinburgh when he was taken to hospital on September 9 2022 following a fall in his cell the previous night.
Tobin was serving the sentence for the murders of Angelika Kluk, 23, Vicky Hamilton, 15, and Dinah McNicol, 18.
Peter Tobin’s trial held in Dundee
Tobin’s trial in winter 2008 was the most high-profile case ever heard at the High Court in Dundee.
The killer, who died aged 76, has long been suspected by police of murdering several other women as he lived under more than 40 aliases and had over 150 cars in his life.
His ashes were scattered at sea.
Now, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has lodged a first notice to begin the court process for a fatal accident inquiry (FAI).
He had been receiving palliative care before his death as his health worsened.
He was monitored by GeoAmey officers at all times while in ERI.
The FAI, mandatory by law, will look into the cause of death, the circumstances in which it occurred, and will establish whether any reasonable precautions could have been taken to prevent the death.
It aims to minimise the risk of deaths in the future.
FAIs are used to establish facts as opposed to attributing blame to an individual or group.
Procurator fiscal Andy Shanks, who leads on fatalities investigations for COPFS, said: ”The Lord Advocate considers that the death of Peter Tobin occurred while in legal custody and as such a fatal accident inquiry is mandatory.
“The lodging of the first notice enables FAI proceedings to commence under the direction of the Sheriff.”
Media descended on Dundee for trial
The five-week hearing saw the British media descend on the city.
And it finally ended the 17-year-old mystery of what happened to Falkirk schoolgirl Vicky Hamilton, whose siblings were overcome by emotion as they spoke to print and broadcast journalists moments after Tobin’s conviction.
Following his death, Vicky’s family said in a statement: “We would like to remind people of what we said outside Dundee High Court when he was finally found guilty of our sister’s murder.
“We no longer wish to talk about him…he does not deserve anymore of our family’s thoughts.
“We will not be celebrating any passing but instead we will be remembering Vicky, Angelika and Dinah along with any other victims, and we respectfully ask for others to do the same.”
Tobin was accused of abducting, sexually assaulting and murdering 15-year-old Vicky on February 10 1991.
He lodged a special defence of alibi that between 5pm and midnight on February 10, he was in the Portsmouth area and then travelling from southern England to Scotland.
The trial was moved to Dundee to limit the chance jurors had any link to the victim’s family or Tobin himself.