A MURDERER who battered a man to death with a concrete slab is suing prison bosses for £10,000 for not giving him a "reasonable opportunity" to rehabilitate himself.

Stuart Quinn is serving 18 years for his part in the killing of a man in 2001.

During a hearing at the Court of Session, the killer claimed he has not been given the chance to rehabilitate while behind bars, which will make it more difficult for him to be released in four years' time.

Quinn, from Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, asked a judge to rule that prison authorities had "acted unlawfully".

He said he had been deprived an opportunity to demonstrate to the parole board for Scotland than he "no longer presents an unacceptable danger to the public".

Quinn was jailed for life along with two other men for the murder of David James, 37, at a flat in Craigneuk in 2001.

During a party celebrating a Celtic victory over Rangers, Mr James was thrown from a first floor window before being stamped on and battered with broken concrete slabs.

Quinn is eligible for parole in May 2019 but he believes his chances of release have been damaged by the way authorities prioritise prisoners for rehabilitation courses.

His lawyers contest that he will be unable to complete one of these courses before May 2019, so would not be considered for parole then.

He has completed one rehabilitation course but must next do the nine to 15 month-long Self Change programme.

But his lawyers say there is a waiting list for this treatment programme, with no prisoner prioritised over another.

He may then have to take a further course, which would take about three to four months.

They add that this system of prioritisation breaches his human rights.

But a solicitor acting for the Scottish Government said Quinn had "misinterpreted" the Scottish Prison Service's guidance on rehabilitation.

He said with four years left on Quinn's sentence there was "no basis" to conclude he would not be able to demonstrate he was eligible for release by then.

It was also argued that the rate of progression through the rehabilitation process is a matter for prison authorities, which the court can only interfere with in exceptional circumstances.

Judge Lord Tyre dismissed Quinn's claim as "irrelevant" that there was a "systemic failure" in relation to rehabilitation for life prisoners.

And he said it would be "premature" to consider an award of damages at this stage.

But he admitted he would be prepared to allow Quinn a fresh hearing about his own circumstances if legal documents can be re-worded.

Quinn and another man, Dominic Ferrie, were jailed for Mr James's murder in February 2003.

Fellow murderer Stephen Nisbet was convicted in June 2003.

All three received life sentences.