This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/essex/8114483.stm

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Killing accused 'murdered before' Killing accused 'murdered before'
(40 minutes later)
A 62-year-old man accused of murdering an 18-year-old girl has already been convicted of killing another teenager, a jury has been told.A 62-year-old man accused of murdering an 18-year-old girl has already been convicted of killing another teenager, a jury has been told.
Peter Tobin, 62, from Renfrewshire, in Scotland, denies murdering Dinah McNicol, of Tillingham, Essex, who disappeared in the summer of 1991.Peter Tobin, 62, from Renfrewshire, in Scotland, denies murdering Dinah McNicol, of Tillingham, Essex, who disappeared in the summer of 1991.
William Clegg QC, prosecuting, told jurors at Chelmsford Crown Court that Mr Tobin had killed before.William Clegg QC, prosecuting, told jurors at Chelmsford Crown Court that Mr Tobin had killed before.
He is serving life for the murder of Vicky Hamilton, Mr Clegg said. He is serving life for the murder of Vicky Hamilton, 15, Mr Clegg said.
'Abducted and killed'
Miss McNicol's and Miss Hamilton's bodies were found buried in the garden at the back of Mr Tobin's former home, he said.
He said in 2007 suspicion had fallen on Mr Tobin and police searched a house where he had lived in Margate, Kent.
Mr Clegg said there was evidence Mr Tobin had picked up Miss McNicol in his car, abducted and killed her, then "cleaned out" her bank account.
He had taken more than £2,000 out of Miss McNicol's account in a few weeks, he said.
He said Mr Tobin had taken out £50 from a Halifax ATM machine near his home in Margate five days after abducting Miss McNicol.
The money in Miss McNicol's account had been compensation paid to her on her 18th birthday following the death of her mother in a car accident, he said.
The court heard that Miss McNicol had disappeared after attending a music festival at Liphook, Hampshire, in 1991.The court heard that Miss McNicol had disappeared after attending a music festival at Liphook, Hampshire, in 1991.
Lift to festival
Jurors were told Mr Tobin was alleged to have murdered her between August 1991 and January 1992. Her remains were discovered in 2007.Jurors were told Mr Tobin was alleged to have murdered her between August 1991 and January 1992. Her remains were discovered in 2007.
The court heard that on Friday 2 August 1991, Miss McNicol and a school friend were given a lift to the music festival. The bodies of Miss McNicol and Miss Hamilton were found buried in the garden at the back of Mr Tobin's former home, he said.
He said in 2007 suspicion had fallen on Mr Tobin and police searched a house where he had lived in Irvine Drive in Margate, Kent.
Mr Tobin is serving a life sentence for the murder of Vicky Hamilton, 15.
Miss McNicol's decomposed body was found in a shallow grave in the back garden.
Her ankles and wrists had been tied together with the headscarf and leggings she was wearing when she vanished, Mr Clegg said.
The jury was shown a computer graphic of how her body was found in the back garden. It showed her ankles by her head and how her body had been wrapped in bin sacks.
The court heard her abduction and death bore striking similarities to three other attacks Mr Tobin has been convicted of.
Mr Clegg said Mr Tobin was convicted in 2004 of raping and assaulting a 14-year-old girl and sexually attacking another young girl.
The jury was told he abducted Miss Hamilton in Bathgate, near Edinburgh, in February 1991, sexually assaulted, then killed her.
He cut her body in half and transported it to Margate where he buried the body, jurors heard.
'Striking resemblance'
Mr Clegg said that in each case Mr Tobin had used a drug called anatryptaline which makes its victims more compliant by making them feel drowsy and dizzy.
He added that the case of Vicky Hamilton bore a striking resemblance to the murder of Miss McNicol.
He said: "...The evidence in this case demonstrates a propensity to abduct young girls, murder them and bury their bodies in rubbish sacks.
"There cannot be many people in the world who share this propensity. It is clear the defendant's motives for these attacks were sexual."
The court heard that on Friday 2 August 1991, Miss McNicol and a school friend were given a lift to the Hampshire music festival.
Miss McNicol spent the first night with her friend, then the rest of the festival with a man she met there.Miss McNicol spent the first night with her friend, then the rest of the festival with a man she met there.
The man and Miss McNicol left on the Monday, hitchhiking up the A3, the court was told. The second lift they received was from a man driving on his own.The man and Miss McNicol left on the Monday, hitchhiking up the A3, the court was told. The second lift they received was from a man driving on his own.
Mr Clegg said Miss McNicol's friend got out of the car at junction 8 of the M25. It was the last time Miss McNicol was seen alive.Mr Clegg said Miss McNicol's friend got out of the car at junction 8 of the M25. It was the last time Miss McNicol was seen alive.
Mr Clegg said: "He left Dinah sat in the front passenger seat of the car. The only other person in the car was the driver.Mr Clegg said: "He left Dinah sat in the front passenger seat of the car. The only other person in the car was the driver.
"No-one ever saw or heard from her again. She never contacted any of her friends or any members of her family.""No-one ever saw or heard from her again. She never contacted any of her friends or any members of her family."
The trial at Chelmsford Crown Court is expected to last two weeks.The trial at Chelmsford Crown Court is expected to last two weeks.