Danilo Restivo convicted of Elisa Claps murder in Italy

Danilo Restivo had denied murdering Heather Barnett

A man jailed for life for killing and mutilating his neighbour in Bournemouth has been convicted of murdering a teenager in his native Italy in 1993.

Danilo Restivo was told he would never be released when he was jailed in June for the 2002 murder of Heather Barnett.

On Friday, he was found guilty in his absence of murdering Elisa Claps, 16, in Potenza and given a 30-year term.

Restivo, 39, has admitted having a hair fetish and the clothes of both victims were lowered in the same manner.

Decomposed body

Mrs Barnett, who Restivo bludgeoned with a hammer before cutting her throat in November 2002, was found with a clump of someone else's hair in one hand and strands of her own under the other.

Restivo admitted at his trial for her murder at Winchester Crown Court that he had cut women's hair in the past because he liked the touch and smell of it.

Restivo had denied any involvement in the disappearance and murder of Elisa Claps in Italy

The court heard her trousers and underwear were lowered and her bra cut.

The trial in Italy heard Miss Claps' trousers, underwear and bra were all adjusted in the same way.

Her decomposed body was found last year in the loft of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Potenza, about 225 miles south of Rome, in the region of Basilicata.

She was buried earlier this year, in the same week Restivo was found guilty of Mrs Barnett's murder.

About 5,000 people attended her funeral, which was held outdoors so her body did not have to be returned to the church where her remains were discovered.

Appeal launched

The prosecution in the Heather Barnett murder case said the manner in which the mother-of-two was killed could be considered Restivo's "hallmark" and linked him to the case of Miss Claps.

Miss Claps went missing after meeting Restivo, who was then 21, at the church after Mass on 12 September 1993.

Heather Barnett's body was found by her 14-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter

Restivo admitted meeting Miss Claps but claimed he saw her leave the church.

The Italian authorities issued a European Arrest Warrant and it was expected that Restivo, who denied killing Miss Claps, would be extradited to Italy to stand trial for her murder.

But in September Restivo began an appeal against his conviction for murdering Mrs Barnett, halting the extradition procedures and the trial was carried out in his absence in Salerno.

After the guilty verdict, Miss Claps' mother Filomena, appealed to Restivo to "tell the truth".