A convicted murderer was being returned to Scotland today to serve out his life sentence after he absconded and headed to Brighton.

Richard Crawford gave himself up to city police yesterday after a high-profile nationwide appeal by Strathclyde officers.

Crawford, from Paisley, near Glasgow, had absconded from a court in Edinburgh six weeks ago.

He was jailed for life in February 2000 for the murder and rape of Mary Lynch, 87, and ordered to serve eight years for the attempted rape of 79-year-old Mary Dorans.

Crawford, 41, who was released on bail after appealing against his conviction, arrived at Edinburgh High Court for a hearing of the appeal on July 12 - and vanished before the case was called.

His disappearance meant he lost his appeal.

Today Strathclyde Police said arrangements were being made to fly Crawford to Glasgow Airport.

Crawford, who had been serving his sentence at Peterhead prison, Aberdeenshire, was due to be taken to Saughton Prison, Edinburgh, later today or tomorrow.

A force spokesman said Crawford was not expected to face further charges in connection with his disappearance.

Crawford, who was believed to have visited relatives in Brighton, gave himself up last night following an intensive search, boosted by more than 100 calls from members of the public.

His disappearance prompted calls for a review of the Scottish criminal justice system amid claims by senior detectives in Sussex that releasing him on bail may have been a mistake.

Before Crawford surrendered to police yesterday, Brighton Detective Chief Inspector Martin Cheesman said releasing the killer on bail might have been a mistake.

He said: "Clearly decisions made by judges can affect a lot of people and it appears that on this occasion, the granting of bail may have been a mistaken decision."