Killer escaped minder in city

A KILLER who carried his dead victim's hand around Edinburgh in a carrier bag vanished for 12 hours while out of jail on supervision.

Alan Smith, 41, prompted a police hunt after he left his minder in the Royal Mile. Officers found him after he turned up at his ex-girlfriend's house.

Smith was sent to the State Mental Hospital in 2005 after killing his stepfather William Meldrum. He believed Mr Meldrum was a vampire, tried to cut off his head and hacked off his hand. In 2000, he walked into a chip shop with his severed penis in his hand and asked staff to fry it.

He pleaded guilty to a breach of the peace at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday and has been remanded in custody until 15 September. A warrant to return him to jail has been applied for.