THE chief suspect in an unsolved 1999 Scottish murder faces extradition from Australia to stand trial.

James McGowan, 56, has been arrested in Adelaide more than 15 years after the fatal stabbing of his former brother-in-law Owen Brannigan in Coatbridge.

McGowan is now understood to have agreed to be handed over to UK authorities, according to reports in Australia.

The country's attorney-general's department, in a statement, said: "A dual citizen of Australia and the UK has been arrested pursuant to an extradition request for the UK for prosecution for murder and assault to severe injury."

The Scot, who has joint British and Australian citizenship, had been living in South Australia.

It is not known whereabouts he was in the country when he was arrested but he is understood to be in custody.

His former neighbours told local channel, Channel 7 News, that Mr McGowan had left his home some months ago.

One man, who knew the Scot, told the TV station: "This is a shock to me."

Police Scotland have been seeking Mr McGowan since just a few days after 45-year-old Mr Brannigan died in a friend's house in Coatbridge on November 29, 1999.

A Scottish warrant was issued for Mr McGowan's arrest on December 3, 1999.

However, Mr McGowan, who had been in Scotland to attend his mother's funeral, returned to Australia on the very day his warrant was issued.

Detectives from the former Strathclyde Police force had followed McGowan out to

Adelaide however, as a naturalised Australian citizen, the Scot was allowed to refuse to co-operate with their inquiries.