Police were last night continuing to hunt for a convicted murderer – one week after he absconded while on a day trip to the Highlands.
A spokeswoman for the force said yesterday that inquiries were ongoing in the hunt for James Casey.
The Invergordon man was given a life sentence in 1990 for battering father-of-two Ian MacBeth with a hammer and leaving him to die in a wood in Easter Ross.
He had been due to travel unescorted to the Inverness area on day release on Thursday last week, but did not return to prison at 8pm as planned.
Casey was previously released in October 2002 after serving 11 years of his life sentence, but within weeks he robbed a post office in West Lothian and was jailed for 14 years.
The police have said that specialist officers from across Scotland have been drafted in to assist the hunt for Casey, and that all potential sightings were being followed up.
They have warned the public that he should not be approached, and if they see him they should contact the police on 101, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
Casey was convicted at the High Court in Inverness of murdering Mr MacBeth, 37, who was the manager of Invergordon Social and Recreational Club.
The victim was struck at least eight times on the head with a hammer during the attack, before being taken in a car to a remote wood and given another beating.
Casey, who was then aged 26, was sentenced to 20 years in prison, which was reduced to 11 on appeal.
Co-accused George McNairn, then aged 23, was cleared of murder, but found guilty of robberyand sentenced to 18 months.