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McNicol accused 'murdered before' McNicol accused 'murdered before'
(about 3 hours later)
A man accused of murdering a teenager after giving her a lift as she hitchhiked in 1991 is already in jail for murder, a court has been told.A man accused of murdering a teenager after giving her a lift as she hitchhiked in 1991 is already in jail for murder, a court has been told.
Peter Tobin, 63, from Johnstone, Renfrewshire, denies the murder of 18-year-old Dinah McNicol. Former handyman Peter Tobin, 63, from Johnstone, Renfrewshire, denies the murder of 18-year-old Dinah McNicol.
Miss McNicol, of Tillingham, Essex, vanished on her way back from a Hampshire music festival. Her remains were found in Margate, Kent, in 2007.Miss McNicol, of Tillingham, Essex, vanished on her way back from a Hampshire music festival. Her remains were found in Margate, Kent, in 2007.
Mr Tobin was convicted last year of the murder of Vicky Hamilton, who was 15.Mr Tobin was convicted last year of the murder of Vicky Hamilton, who was 15.
Vicky, from Redding, Falkirk, disappeared from Bathgate, West Lothian, also in 1991.
The remains of Miss Hamilton and Miss McNicol were found buried in the garden of a Margate home that had been occupied by Mr Tobin in the early 1990s.The remains of Miss Hamilton and Miss McNicol were found buried in the garden of a Margate home that had been occupied by Mr Tobin in the early 1990s.
Vicky, from Redding, Falkirk, had disappeared from Bathgate, West Lothian, in February 1991.
'Fingerprints found''Fingerprints found'
Prosecutor William Clegg QC also told Chelmsford Crown Court that Mr Tobin had been convicted of sexually assaulting two 14-year-old girls in 1994. Prosecutor William Clegg QC told Chelmsford Crown Court that Mr Tobin had also been convicted of sexually assaulting two 14-year-old girls in 1994.
The girls, one of whom was raped and the other indecently assaulted, were given a drug to make them drowsy and "more compliant" by Mr Tobin.The girls, one of whom was raped and the other indecently assaulted, were given a drug to make them drowsy and "more compliant" by Mr Tobin.
Tests on the remains of Miss McNicol and Miss Hamilton revealed traces of the same drug, Amitriptyline, Mr Clegg told the court.Tests on the remains of Miss McNicol and Miss Hamilton revealed traces of the same drug, Amitriptyline, Mr Clegg told the court.
No-one Dinah knew ever saw or heard from her again Prosecutor William Clegg QCNo-one Dinah knew ever saw or heard from her again Prosecutor William Clegg QC
He added that the defendant's fingerprints were found on the plastic bag in which Miss McNicol's remains were found.He added that the defendant's fingerprints were found on the plastic bag in which Miss McNicol's remains were found.
The teenager had been given a lift on 5 August 1991 by a man matching Mr Tobin's age, 44 at the time, and colour, it was claimed. A neighbour had seen Mr Tobin digging a hole in his garden and the defendant had joked he was "digging to Australia", the court was told.
Miss McNicol had been hitchhiking along the A3 to London after attending a weekend music festival in Liphook, Hampshire. Miss McNicol had been given a lift on 5 August 1991 by a man matching Mr Tobin's age, 44 at the time, and colour, it was also claimed.
She had been hitchhiking along the A3 to London after attending a weekend music festival in Liphook, Hampshire.
Following the teenager's disappearance, withdrawals were made from her building society account at branches in Margate and Ramsgate, Kent, Brighton, East Sussex, and Portsmouth, Hampshire - towns with which Mr Tobin was associated.Following the teenager's disappearance, withdrawals were made from her building society account at branches in Margate and Ramsgate, Kent, Brighton, East Sussex, and Portsmouth, Hampshire - towns with which Mr Tobin was associated.
Lone driverLone driver
BBC reporter Kieran Fox said the defendant appeared in court wearing a black suit and shirt. He had thick grey hair, looked frail and was wearing an earpiece to hear the proceedings.BBC reporter Kieran Fox said the defendant appeared in court wearing a black suit and shirt. He had thick grey hair, looked frail and was wearing an earpiece to hear the proceedings.
The victim's father, Ian McNicol, was also in court.The victim's father, Ian McNicol, was also in court.
They heard Mr Clegg say that Miss McNicol had left the music festival with a man she had met there, David Tremlett.They heard Mr Clegg say that Miss McNicol had left the music festival with a man she had met there, David Tremlett.
The pair had hitchhiked together and their second lift was from a man travelling alone in a car, Mr Clegg said.The pair had hitchhiked together and their second lift was from a man travelling alone in a car, Mr Clegg said.
Mr Tremlett was dropped off at junction eight of the M25, leaving Miss McNicol alone with the driver, the court was told. About the driver, Mr Tremlett, now 45, told the court: "I decided fairly rapidly that I didn't particularly like him.
"No-one Dinah knew ever saw or heard from her again. She never contacted any friend or any member of her family," Mr Clegg said. I didn't like the driver of the car so I wanted Dinah to get out Witness David Tremlett
"His conversation seemed over-familiar with people that he didn't know. I developed a dislike for him."
Mr Tremlett was dropped off at junction eight of the M25, near Redhill, Surrey, leaving Miss McNicol alone with the driver, the court heard.
"I didn't like the driver of the car so I wanted Dinah to get out and come down to Redhill on public transport," Mr Tremlett said.
"She decided to carry on."
Mr Clegg said: "No-one Dinah knew ever saw or heard from her again. She never contacted any friend or any member of her family.
"It is the case for the Crown that she was abducted by the driver of that car. We will seek to prove that that driver was, in fact, this defendant and that he not only abducted Dinah but murdered her.""It is the case for the Crown that she was abducted by the driver of that car. We will seek to prove that that driver was, in fact, this defendant and that he not only abducted Dinah but murdered her."
The 18-year-old had been awaiting her A-level results in 1991, but did not live to learn that she had achieved four passes. The court heard that Miss McNicol's half-sister, Sara Tizard, had "expressed some concerns about her hitchhiking from place to place" in the days before her disappearance.
"She said words to the effect, 'If anything happens to me don't blame yourself,'" Ms Tizard said in a statement.
Miss McNicol had been awaiting her A-level results in the summer of 1991, but did not live to learn that she had achieved four passes.