THE man convicted of killing Heather Barnett and the prime suspect in the murder of Italian schoolgirl Elisa Claps was the subject of an Italian secret service report in 1997, it has been alleged.

A former agent of SISDE, the Italian Intelligence and Democratic Security Service, has claimed the service knew Elisa had been killed by Restivo in 1997 – four years after she disappeared from her home town of Potenza on September 12, 1993.

It is alleged the author of the report makes reference to the fact Elisa had been killed by the person whom investigations were being conducted – Restivo was under investigation for providing false information about his whereabouts on the day Elisa went missing and was the last person to see her.

And references are made in the report to a “priest” who knew about Elisa’s death, it is claimed.

The details of the dossier, exposed by the former agent, emerged this week in the Italian press.

Elisa’s mummified remains were discovered in March 2010 in the roof of the Church of the Most Holy Trinity in Potenza.

Restivo claimed he met Elisa at the church on the day she went missing but was alive when he left.

Restivo, 39 of Chatsworth Road, Charminster, was convicted in June of the murder of mum-of two Heather Barnett at her home in Capstone Road on November 12, 2002. He was jailed for life and Judge Mr Justice Burnett said that the evidence provided during the trial for the killing of Heather in 2002 proved “without a doubt you murdered Elisa Claps as well”.

The prosecution told the jury at Winchester Crown Court that there were “striking similarities” between the murders of Heather and Elisa. The jury heard evidence from Italian witnesses about the disappearance and death of the 16-year-old schoolgirl.

Restivo is due to appear before prosecutors in Solerno at the beginning of November for the murder of Elisa.

At the end of September Restivo applied for leave to appeal for his conviction of the murder of Heather Barnett.