THE man accused of murdering mum-of-two Heather Barnett had a brand new box set of knives at home “identical” to the knife he was found at Throop Mill, a court heard.

During the second day of cross examination, prosecutor Michael Bowes QC told Winchester Crown Court that police had seized the new box of five kitchen knives from his Chatsworth Road home in 2004.

Mr Bowes said: “They were pretty much identical to the one found at Throop.”

He said to Restivo: “You went out and replaced the set because it was your knife all along.”

Restivo replied: “My wife went out and bought a new set because the knives we had were not sharp enough.

“The fact they are similar, that’s simply a coincidence.”

The court had been reminded that while under police surveillance at Throop Mill on May 12 2004, officers discovered a bag containing a kitchen knife and tissues in Restivo’s car.

A balaclava, gloves, two pairs of scissors and a change of clothes were also found in the vehicle.

Restivo told the court he had found the knife at Throop and picked it up because there were children playing nearby.

He said he wanted to dial 999 but couldn’t because his mobile phone was in his car.

Mr Bowes said: “You are just making up a story about the knife, the little children and the emergency. It is just fantasy.”

Restivo said: “No”.

Mr Bowes later said: “What you were doing all along with the knife and tissues and balaclava and gloves was stalking women, weren’t you?”

Restivo replied: “No, no, no. I was there simply to relax, to enjoy nature and I was collecting and picking up insects.

“I have never stalked women.”

Mr Bowes said: “Except on buses.”

Restivo replied: “On the bus, that was not stalking. I was just on the bus without stalking them. I didn’t follow anybody at Throop.”

Earlier yesterday, Restivo denied altering the disc log at Nacro, where he was on a computer course, to support his false alibi.

Speaking about the morning of November 12 2002, Restivo said he arrived at Nacro at 9am and logged onto the computer with the administrator’s password.

He said he studied his file and worked on the internet and off the internet between 9.15am and 10.15am.

Restivo said: “And then at 10.30am I realised I hadn’t signed the register.

“I automatically looked at my watch and put down 10.30. And then I deleted and wrote 9am which was the actual time I arrived.”

Mr Bowes put it to him: “What you have done, you actually arrived at 10.10am.”

Restivo replied: “No.”

Mr Bowes added: “Then later you go back and alter it to try and support your false alibi.”

Restivo replied: “No, I arrived at 9am.”

Mr Bowes said: “So up to now we have three versions. Version one – ‘I arrived at 9am and worked on the computer’. Version two when you heard the expert evidence and said ‘Oh perhaps someone else was using the computer’.

“And after you have been served with the forensic report from Craig Wilson you made up version three, ‘I had the password all along’.”

Restivo said: “I have always had the password.”

Mr Bowes replied: “Well, that’s for jury to judge.”

After giving Restivo time to read the computer expert’s report, Mr Bowes put it to him: “There was no user activity between 9.30am and 10am and 10am and 10.10am.”

Restivo replied: “Yes.”

Restivo, 39, of Chatsworth Road, Charminster, denies killing Heather Barnett on November 12 2002.

The trial continues.