THE murder of Heather Barnett was one of the most horrific and senseless killings officers from Dorset Police had ever witnessed.

The 48-year-old seamstress was found dead in her ground floor flat by her children Terry and Caitlin, then aged 14 and 11, when they returned from school on November 12, 2002.

Restivo attacked Heather with a hammer-type object, dragged her body to the bathroom and mutilated her.

He put strands of someone else’s cut hair in one hand and strands of her own in the other.

Restivo soon became the main suspect but it was nine years before he was finally brought to justice.

He was convicted of Heather’s murder following a trial at Winchester Crown Court in June 2011.

During the trial the jury heard evidence that Restivo was responsible for the murder of 16-year-old Italian schoolgirl Elisa Claps, who disappeared from her home town of Potenza on September 12, 1993.

He was subsequently convicted of her murder in late 2011 and jailed for 30 years.

Sentencing Restivo for Heather’s murder, Judge Mr Justice Burnett said: “You are a cold, depraved and calculating killer.

“There is no mitigation and in my judgement there is no minimum term to be set.

“You will never be released.”