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Court delay after Tobin attacked Court delay after Tobin attacked
(about 1 hour later)
A court appearance by the man charged with the murder of teenager Vicky Hamilton has been delayed after he was beaten up in prison.A court appearance by the man charged with the murder of teenager Vicky Hamilton has been delayed after he was beaten up in prison.
Peter Tobin, 61, was being held in Edinburgh's Saughton jail where the incident took place on Wednesday.Peter Tobin, 61, was being held in Edinburgh's Saughton jail where the incident took place on Wednesday.
He was due in court for a second time, a week after he was remanded in custody over 15-year-old Vicky's death.He was due in court for a second time, a week after he was remanded in custody over 15-year-old Vicky's death.
Vicky's body and that of missing teenager Dinah McNicol were found in the garden of a house in Kent.Vicky's body and that of missing teenager Dinah McNicol were found in the garden of a house in Kent.
Mr Tobin once lived at the three-bedroom council house in Irvine Drive, Margate. The attack on Mr Tobin by a fellow prisoner in Edinburgh's Saughton jail happened in the protection wing where vulnerable prisoners are housed.
The bodies of Vicky and Dinah McNicol, 18, from Essex, were found there last week. Peter Tobin will not be appearing at court today and we will not be in a position to say whether he'll appear on Friday until tomorrow morning Crown Office spokeswoman
I don't want to have to spend all my Christmases thinking that I buried my daughter at Christmas or just before, so we've asked the CID if we can hold it back until after Christmas and New Year Michael Hamilton, Vicky's father It is understood he required medical attention at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for cuts and bruises.
Vicky was last seen standing at a bus stop in Bathgate's George Square, just after 1735 GMT on 10 February, 1991. A spokeswoman for the Crown Office confirmed: "Peter Tobin will not be appearing at court today and we will not be in a position to say whether he'll appear on Friday until tomorrow morning."
Eyewitnesses said that she was sitting on a bench eating chips. The spokeswoman would not confirm that Mr Tobin's non-appearance was directly linked to the attack.
Vicky had been returning from Livingston, where she had been staying with her sister, to her home in Redding, near Falkirk.
Following the attack on Wednesday evening at Saughton jail, police would only confirm that an incident took place.
It is understood Mr Tobin required medical attention for cuts and bruises at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
The accused was due at court for a second appearance
Mr Tobin appeared at Linlithgow Sheriff Court from custody last week charged with Vicky's murder.Mr Tobin appeared at Linlithgow Sheriff Court from custody last week charged with Vicky's murder.
He was due to return to court for full committal on Thursday but at about midday the Crown Office announced that this had been postponed.He was due to return to court for full committal on Thursday but at about midday the Crown Office announced that this had been postponed.
Friends and relatives had joined Vicky's father Michael outside the court as they waited for the prison van to arrive at the court. The eight-day deadline for Mr Tobin to attend the full committal hearing will expire on Friday. If he is unable to appear by then, the Crown will seek an extension from the court so he can attend at a later date.
They had gathered outside the court for Mr Tobin's first appearance last week and there were angry scenes as the accused entered and left court on that occasion. A Scottish Prison Service spokesman said: "A prisoner was subject to an assault and has been taken for medical treatment."
The spokesman said an investigation into the incident was under way.
Mr Tobin once lived at the three-bedroom council house in Irvine Drive, Margate, where the bodies of Vicky and Dinah McNicol, 18, from Essex, were found there last week.
The accused was due at court for a second appearance
Vicky was last seen at a bus stop in Bathgate's George Square, just after 1735 GMT on 10 February, 1991.
Eyewitnesses said that she was sitting on a bench eating chips.
Vicky had been returning from Livingston, where she had been staying with her sister, to her home in Redding, near Falkirk.
Friends and relatives had joined Vicky's father Michael outside the court as they waited for the prison van to arrive.
They also gathered outside the court for Mr Tobin's first appearance last week and there were angry scenes as the accused entered and left on that occasion.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Mr Hamilton said he was making arrangements for Vicky's funeral, which would take place after Christmas.Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Mr Hamilton said he was making arrangements for Vicky's funeral, which would take place after Christmas.
He said: "I don't want to have to spend all my Christmases thinking that I buried my daughter at Christmas or just before, so we've asked the CID if we can hold it back until after Christmas and New Year."He said: "I don't want to have to spend all my Christmases thinking that I buried my daughter at Christmas or just before, so we've asked the CID if we can hold it back until after Christmas and New Year."