Prosecutors have expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the fatal accident inquiry into the passing of serial killer Peter Tobin. Tobin, aged 76, died in a hospital on October 8, 2022, following a fall in a cell at HMP Edinburgh, where he was serving multiple life sentences for the murders of three young women between 1991 and 2006.
The inquiry revealed that Tobin, at the time of his demise at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, was contending with undiagnosed cancer for years, as he had declined medical examinations. Additionally, he had contracted hospital-acquired pneumonia. In Sheriff Matthew Auchincloss’ determination released on Wednesday, it was stated that no preventive measures could have averted Tobin’s death. The sheriff noted Tobin’s age and fragile health condition, mentioning how he received appropriate medical attention following the fall in prison.
Subsequent investigations found that Tobin underwent hip surgery for a fracture on September 9, the day after the cell incident, and was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer. Guards reported that Tobin was speaking incoherently before his demise in the hospital. A post-mortem examination confirmed the cause of death as bronchial pneumonia in the context of a fractured right femur neck, vascular disease, and prostate cancer.
Officials from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) released a statement acknowledging the inquiry’s findings, coinciding with 18 years since Tobin’s initial court appearance for the murder of Angelika Kluk. The discovery of the remains of two young girls in 2007 led to a mandatory inquiry into Tobin’s death on September 17 this year, given that it occurred while in custody.
The purpose of such an inquiry is to determine the circumstances surrounding the death and evaluate preventive measures for similar situations. Procurator fiscal Andy Shanks, head of fatalities investigations for COPFS, affirmed the acceptance of the sheriff’s findings. The conclusion of Tobin’s case sheds light on a notorious chapter in Scottish criminal history, underscoring the complexities and repercussions surrounding his final days.