Peter Tobin: Serial killer's ashes scattered at sea

Serial killer Peter Tobin's ashes have been scattered at sea after no-one came forward to claim his body.

Tobin, who died last week aged 76, was convicted of raping and murdering Polish student Angelika Kluk, 23, and hiding her body under the floor of a Glasgow church in 2006.

He was also serving life terms at HMP Edinburgh for the murders of Vicky Hamilton, 15, and Dinah McNicol, 18.

The City of Edinburgh Council confirmed Tobin was cremated on Thursday.

The local authority assumes responsibility for funeral arrangements if no relatives or next of kin come forward to claim a body.

A council spokeswoman said: "Yesterday evening (13 Oct 2022) the remains of Peter Tobin were cremated in accordance with the requirements of Section 87 of the Burials and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016.

"Ashes from the cremation were dispersed into the sea.

"The council's thoughts are with the victims of his crimes and their loved ones."

Tobin's death certificate, obtained by the Sunday Mail newspaper, confirms he died at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary at 05:35 on Saturday 8 October.

The cause of his death, which was registered by a detective sergeant, is listed as "unascertained (pending investigations)".

Police Scotland last week revealed fruitless attempts had been made towards the end of Tobin's life to get him to reveal information about other potential victims.

Last month, the Sunday Mail reported that Tobin was lying "chained to a hospital bed" and was pictured in a hospital gown, appearing seriously ill.

The paper said the murderer had cancer and had fallen and broken his hip. It said he was refusing food and medication.

Earlier, in January, it emerged that Tobin had been transferred from HMP Edinburgh to the city's Royal Infirmary after becoming unwell.

Tobin was only unmasked as a serial killer after his final victim, Angelika Kluk, was found hidden under the floorboards of a church in Glasgow in 2006.

His arrest set in motion a UK-wide investigation which ultimately led officers to the remains of two teenage girls. 

Vicky Hamilton, 15, disappeared in February 1991 as she travelled home to just outside Falkirk. And 18-year-old Dinah McNicol from Essex was last seen in August that year after she hitched a lift from Tobin after a music festival.

Both girls' remains were found 16 years later, buried in the garden of Tobin's former home in Margate, Kent.

Lindsay Brown, the sister of Vicky Hamilton, said living with what happened was a "dark shadow" over the family.

Former Strathclyde Police detective David Swindle, who led the investigation into Peter Tobin, said he had no doubts the predator had killed more people.

He said: "This is someone who had no respect for humanity."