Vicky's mother in trial evidence

The body of Vicky Hamilton was found at a house in Kent last year

Evidence from the dead mother of murdered schoolgirl Vicky Hamilton may feature at the trial of the man accused of killing the 15-year-old.

Jeanette Hamilton died in 1993 without knowing what happened to her daughter who vanished 17 years ago.

Solicitor general Frank Mulholland QC indicated he was making legal moves to have a statement given to police by Mrs Hamilton made admissible to the court.

Peter Tobin, 62, denies abducting and murdering Vicky.

The schoolgirl's body was found in the garden of a house in Margate, Kent, last year.

At a brief hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh, both Mr Mulholland and Mr Tobin's defence team assured trial judge Lord Emslie that they were prepared for trial.

The trial is set to begin in the High Court in Dundee on 3 November.

Body parts

Mr Mulholland also said he was applying to suspend the usual rules banning hearsay evidence.

This would allow the trial jury to hear statements made to police by Mrs Hamilton during the investigation into her daughter's disappearance.

Mr Tobin has lodged papers in court claiming he was in the Portsmouth area and that he has an alibi for the time when Vicky disappeared.

Vicky, from Redding near Falkirk, was last seen at a bus stop in Bathgate, West Lothian, in 1991 after visiting her sister in Livingston.

Mr Tobin is pleading not guilty to charges of abduction, murder and attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

The indictment alleges that Mr Tobin made the schoolgirl go with him to his then-home in Robertson Avenue, Bathgate, and there, or elsewhere, that he assaulted and drugged her.

It is further claimed that he carried out a serious indecent assault as well as struggling with the teenager and causing an injury to her neck.

Mr Tobin is also accused of trying to cover up the murder by hiding her body, disposing of her clothes and other belongings and trying to lead police on a false trail by leaving her purse under a Portacabin.

It is alleged he then bisected Vicky's body, wrapped her in bin bags, hid the knives he had used and then concealed, transported and buried her body parts.