A fatal accident inquiry into the death of a Scottish serial killer has been lodged by the Crown Office.

Peter Tobin, who was serving a full life order sentence, died on October 8, 2022 at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary (ERI). He had been an inmate at HMP Edinburgh when he was taken to hospital on September 9, 2022 following a fall in his cell the previous night.

Tobin was serving the sentence for the murders of Angelika Kluk, 23, Vicky Hamilton, 15, and Dinah McNicol, 18. The killer, who died aged 76, has long been suspected by police of murdering several other women as he lived under more than 40 aliases and had over 150 cars in his life.

His ashes were scattered at sea.

Now, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has lodged a first notice to begin the court process for a fatal accident inquiry (FAI).

Tobin had been receiving palliative care before his death as his health worsened. He was monitored by GeoAmey officers at all times while in ERI.

The FAI, mandatory by law, will look into the cause of death, the circumstances in which it occurred, and will establish whether any reasonable precautions could have been taken to prevent the death. It aims to minimise the risk of deaths in the future.

FAIs are used to establish facts as opposed to attributing blame to an individual or group.

Procurator fiscal Andy Shanks, who leads on fatalities investigations for COPFS, said: ”The Lord Advocate considers that the death of Peter Tobin occurred while in legal custody and as such a fatal accident inquiry is mandatory. The lodging of the first notice enables FAI proceedings to commence under the direction of the sheriff.”

Peter Tobin: Fatal accident inquiry lodged into death of Scottish serial killer