Vicky murder trial alibi defence

Vicky Hamilton was last seen alive waiting at a bus stop in Bathgate

The trial of the man accused of murdering Falkirk schoolgirl Vicky Hamilton seventeen years ago has begun in Dundee.

Peter Tobin, 62, is charged with abducting, sexually assaulting and killing the 15-year-old in 1991.

The teenager's remains were found buried in the garden of a house in Margate, Kent, in November last year.

Mr Tobin's defence team have tabled a special defence of alibi stating he was in Portsmouth when Vicky disappeared.

He claims that between 1700 and midnight on 10 February, 1991, he was south of the border and did not arrive in Edinburgh until 0630 the following day.

Intelligence analyst

The trial, before a jury of 12 women and three men, is being presided over by Lord Emslie at the High Court in Dundee and is expected to last up to five weeks.

The first witness to appear in the case was Barry Harris, who was shown a series of maps he produced for the police.

Mr Harris, a divisional intelligence analyst with Lothian and Borders Police, was shown maps of Bathgate, St Andrew Square in Edinburgh and Margate in the south of England.

He confirmed to Solicitor General Frank Mulholland that he had produced the maps and confirmed a number of locations within them.

Judge Lord Emslie, who had earlier told jurors to consider only the evidence they heard in court, then adjourned the case until Tuesday.

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

Body Parts

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

The indictment alleges that he 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 portable cabin.

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