THE extent of police surveillance of Danilo Restivo over several years was revealed to the jury at Winchester Crown Court yesterday.

On the final day of the five-week prosecution case, the court heard how officers conducted a number of covert operations to keep Restivo under observation.

Restivo, 39, of Chatsworth Road, Bournemouth, is accused of murdering Heather Barnett at her home in Capstone Road, Charminster on November 12, 2002. He denies the charge.

The court heard the first operation lasted from March – June 2004 consisting of 57 days of surveillance in total in daytime hours.

Following events at Throop Mill in May of that year, where Restivo was observed watching women and found in possession of a knife, scissors and a change of clothes, it was increased due to “risk assessment”.

From June 16 for a period he was watched 24 hours.

There was covert monitoring – bugging, in his house and car.

Another operation was carried out between October 2005 and August 2007 in which he was kept under observation by officers for a total of 147 days, mainly daytime hours.

He was kept under watch on and off from October 2007 until March 2009 and again this included the use of monitoring devices in his car and home. The fourth and last operation ran from July 24 2009 to May 19, 2010, when he was arrested on suspicion of Heather Barnett’s murder.

After a lengthy halt in proceedings yesterday morning, the Judge Mr Justice Burnett, told the jury: “We have had another delay and that must be very frustrating for you. I apologise for that.”

He added it was “no-one’s fault and was entirely unavoidable”.

The defence is due to begin on Monday.