The father of Vicky Hamilton, who died at the hands of serial killer Peter Tobin, has welcomed an offer to meet detectives investigating the murderer's past.

Michael Hamilton said he was "pleased" to have spoken to the Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill during an hour-long meeting in Edinburgh. The arrangement by Mr MacAskill for Mr Hamilton to meet police officers on the case emerged after the meeting.

Tobin, 63, who is serving life for murdering three young women, is challenging his 30-year sentence for killing Falkirk teenager Vicky Hamilton.

Vicky, 15, was abducted in Bathgate, West Lothian, in 1991. Her remains were found 17 years later buried in the garden of Tobin's former home in Margate, Kent.

Mr Hamilton, 60, said: "We don't know when the visit to meet the detectives will take place. They are going to organise that. I said it would be much appreciated. We have put our point over. He said we will be kept informed."

Mr Hamilton said Mr MacAskill told him technology would be looked at which could allow prisoners to appear in court at an appeal hearing on a television monitor, rather than physically being at the hearing.

Appeal

Mr MacAskill agreed to meet Mr Hamilton after he received a letter from the father, who said earlier this year it was "ridiculous" that taxpayers' money was being spent on the appeal when the killer will spend the rest of his days in jail.

Judge Lord Emslie branded Tobin "unfit to live in a decent society" following his conviction at the High Court in Dundee in December 2008. Tobin has twice failed to turn up at the Court of Appeal in Edinburgh through illness.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "The Justice Secretary took the opportunity to express his condolences to Mr Hamilton and other family members for their terrible loss. While he cannot intervene in or comment on live appeals before the court, he listened sympathetically to Mr Hamilton's concerns and suggestions.

"The Justice Secretary has arranged for the Hamilton family to visit the headquarters of Operation Anagram to see at first hand the work that is ongoing to establish whether there is evidence of Peter Tobin's involvement in other serious crimes."

Tobin is serving two further life sentences for the murders of Polish student Angelika Kluk and Dinah McNicol.

Vanished

Operation Anagram was set up to investigate the life of Tobin, who was working as a handyman at a church when he murdered Miss Kluk.

The UK-wide inquiry has seen officers attempting to piece together information on his whereabouts over the years to see if he could be linked or ruled out of other crimes.

Miss Kluk, 23, was raped and killed by Tobin at a Glasgow church in September 2006.

Miss McNicol vanished in August 1991 while hitchhiking to her home in Tillingham after leaving a music festival in Liphook, Hampshire. Her remains were found alongside those of Miss Hamilton.