Pathologists evidence on Heather Barnett’s death

Dr Allen Anscombe arrived at the scene in Capstone Road, Charminster, at 8.45pm on November 12, 2002 - after Heather’s body was discovered by her two children, Terry and Caitlin, at 4pm.

He said the 48-year-old seamstress was found lying on her back on the bathroom floor with her legs straight.

Her right hand rested on her lower belly and a clump of light brown hair was resting in the palm of her hand, he added.

Dr Anscombe told the court Heather’s upper clothing had been pulled to the level of her breasts, her jeans unfastened and slightly pulled down.

Both her breasts had been cut off and placed on the floor by the side of her head.

“Her throat was completely cut across.”

“There was a large pool of blood beneath her and trails of drops of blood ran from the workroom through the living room to the bathroom,“ Dr Anscombe added.

He put time of death to nearer when she was last seen alive in the morning rather than near the time of 4pm when she was found.

Dr Anscombe’s post mortem examination was carried out the following day and he identified 10 separate injuries to the head, one of which had penetrated through to the skull revealing brain tissue.

There was a shallow 24 cm interrupted cut vertically down the front of her abdomen and two smaller separate wounds on either sides.

Dr Anscombe said these injuries were not random slashes but injuries caused with a “degree of care and control“.

Heather also suffered injuries to her hands, Dr Anscombe said.

“The relative lack of bleeding associated with these injuries suggest these were inflicted after she was already dead.”

Finishing his evidence, Dr Anscombe said the process of inflicting all the injuries, including dragging Heather’s body from the workroom to the bathroom would require no more than a small number of minutes to undertake.

Restivo, 39, of Chatsworth Road, Charminster, denies murdering Heather Barnett.

The trial continues