ON what would have been her 31st birthday, the father of missing Vicky Hamilton today revealed the trauma of the past year has caused his health to deteriorate.
The last 12 months have seen Michael Hamilton's emotional wounds torn open with the official launch of a murder investigation, the digging up of a suspect's gardens in search of a body, and a subsequent police arrest.
The combination has left Michael ill and all he craves now is some peace.
He said: "My health has really suffered with all the developments in the past year – I feel completely drained and stressed out. Last week while flying back from holiday I woke up with an oxygen mask on after passing out.
"I'm not getting any younger and really wish the whole thing could be cleared up for the sake of my health if nothing else."
Mr Hamilton was unable to specifically comment on any of the police investigation as he may be called as a crown witness in any potential trial.
ILL: Michael Hamilton
In November 2006 the police announced Vicky's disappearance was being treated as a murder investigation as there was no evidence to suggest she was still alive.
Then in May this year it was revealed a house in Bathgate was to be searched in connection with her disappearance. Police later refused to rule out that DNA found in the house belonged to Vicky.
In July a man was charged in connection with Vicky's disappearance with a report sent to the procurator fiscal.
The emotional turmoil has left Mr Hamilton begging for the mystery to be solved once and for all.
He recently said: "The whole family is looking for some closure so we can finally move on, the last 16 years have been torture. We've accepted Vicky is dead. Now we just want the matter to be resolved once and for all."
The schoolgirl was last seen on February 10 1991 while standing at a bus stop in Bathgate. She had been returning from her sister’s house in Livingston to her home in Redding, near Falkirk.
Days later, her black leather purse was found in a bin near the bus station in Edinburgh's St Andrew Square.
Despite sparking one of the country's biggest missing person inquiries, no trace of Vicky was ever found.
In 1993, Vicky's mother Janette died of heart failure without knowing what had happened to her daughter.
