THE man accused of the murder of Heather Barnett told Winchester Crown Court today, “I have never killed anybody.”

Giving evidence in his own defence, Danilo Restivo, 39, was quizzed by his barrister David Jeremy QC about the moment he hugged Heather’s children Terry and Caitlin when they came home from school and found their mother’s body.

Mr Jeremy said: “You know the prosecution case is that morning you murdered their mother.”

He replied: “I have never killed anybody.”

Mr Jeremy said by comforting the children he was playing out a “repulsive charade.”

He answered: “No, it was sincere.”

Sitting in the witness box and speaking in Italian with his words translated by his interpreter, Restivo told the court that he first started cutting young women’s hair for a bet.

He said: “The first three times was as a bet between schoolmates. I was about 15 and I wanted to be accepted into the group.

“Then I started liking it. I meant no harm to anyone. I just like the feel of the hair and the smell of it.”

He denied there was anything sexual about his actions.

He told David Jeremy QC, defending, “I did not realise cutting someone’s hair would be an offence. If it was I apologise.”

He told how he had declared his affection for Elisa Claps in July 1993 but she had rejected him.

Restivo’s appearance in the witness box is the first time that anyone sitting in the public gallery has been able to see him during the trial.

Restivo said he met Elisa at the Church of the Holy Trinity on September 12, 1993, to ask advice about a relationship with another girl.

Restivo told the court he did not know his way around the church and did not know it had a loft. It was in this loft that the remains of Elisa Claps were discovered last year.

Restivo told the court that on September 12 Elisa left before him and he stayed to pray.

He said he then went to a building site nearby where some new escalators were being built.

He said he went “out of curiosity” because they were of an ingenious design.

There he tripped and fell on mud and cut his hand on a piece of sheet metal. He used his denim jacket to staunch the bleeding, Restivo told the court.

Asked by Mr Jeremy why he had refused to answer questions from Italian prosecutors, who were then investigating Elisa’s disappearance, Restivo replied: “I felt they were fishing for someone to blame.”

And he claimed he was physically and mentally abused while in solitary confinement on remand.

On March 7, 1995, Restivo was found guilty of giving false information and received a community sentence.

Mr Jeremy asked Restivo: “Did the Italian press sustain their interest in you as the potential killer of Elisa Claps?”

He replied: “Yes, since 1993.”

Later Restivo told the court he only met Heather the week before she died to ask her to make some curtains for his wife Fiamma’s bedroom.

“I gave Heather a green towel which was the same colour I wanted.”

Asked by Mr Jeremy where he got the towel from, he replied: “I don’t remember.”

Restivo said he recalls a discussion relating to Heather losing or mislaying her door key.

Mr Jeremy said: “Do you know what happened to her missing key?”

Restivo replied: “No.”

The case continues