A woman who murdered a vulnerable teenager and continued collecting her benefits payments for almost 18 years has died behind bars.

Avril Jones, 66, a prisoner at HMP Stirling, died in custody on 8 November.

Jones and her partner Edward Cairney, 82, were convicted of murdering Margaret Fleming, who was last seen alive aged 19 at a family gathering in December 1999.

Margaret Fleming was murdered between December 1999 and January 2000 (Police Scotland)

Margaret had learning difficulties and stayed with Cairney and Jones inside a squalid cottage in Inverkip, Inverclyde , after they became her "carers" following her father's death.

The pair murdered Margaret between December 1999 and January 2000.

Jones went on to claim £182,000 in benefits while the pair staged an elaborate cover-up, which police described as "greedy" and "fantastical".

Margaret was reported missing in 2016, and her body has never been found.

The pair were convicted at the High Court in Glasgow in 2019 and detectives issued an appeal to…