An inquiry will be held into the death of a Moray murderer who died in jail.
Jamie Nicol was imprisoned for a minimum of 18 years after being convicted of killing Stephen Johnston in Lesmurdie Road, Elgin, in June 2010.
The convicted drug dealer performed a “sickening” victory-style dance after stabbing the father-of-six during a street brawl between two rival gangs.
He was imprisoned in 2011, but was found dead in his cell at HMP Shotts in Lanarkshire in December 2014, at the age of 29.
It is believed his death was drug-related, and a date has now been set for a fatal accident inquiry.
The inquiry will be heard at Hamilton Sheriff Court on Thursday, March 3, following a preliminary hearing on Thursday, February 4.
During Nicol’s trial at the High Court in Aberdeen, it emerged that Mr Johnston was not a part of the brawl.
The court heard that the labourer was “crouched down and not doing anyone any harm” during the scuffle on June 24, 2010.
But he was stabbed by Nicol, and although he was taken to Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin he later died.
A jury took just two hours to find Nicol guilty of murdering Mr Johnston after a four-week trial in March 2011.
Nicol was sentenced to spend at least 18 years and three months in jail.
Presiding over the case, Lord Uist said Nicol had a “deplorable” criminal record with 25 previous convictions, including eight for assault.
The judge said that immediately after inflicting a fatal stab wound upon his victim, Nicol “performed some sort of weird victory dance and laughed”.
Lord Uist told Nicol that it was “a sickening piece of behaviour” on his part.
The convict was found dead in his cell at high-security Shotts Prison in December 2014.
It was reported at the time that Nicol’s death was drug-related and police confirmed that there were no suspicious circumstances involved.