30 years for Meredith Kercher's killer

Rudy Guede has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder of student Meredith Kercher.

ERASMUS student Meredith Kercher, 21, was found dead on 2 November 2007 in Perugia, Italy.

Speaking to reporters after the trial, Kercher’s sister, Stephanie said: “Today has been really important in our steps towards justice for Meredith.”

It has been announced that the two other suspects will also stand trial for the murder. Amanda Knox, 21, Kercher’s American flatmate and Rafaelle Sollecito, 24, Knox’s Italian boyfriend were both believed to have been involved in an elaborate sex game along with Guede, 21, that led to Kercher’s death.

The rationale behind the verdict will be published within the next 60 days.

It is alleged that Knox stabbed Kercher in the throat as Sollecito restrained her allowing Guede to then sexually assault her. Kercher’s body was discovered semi-naked with her throat cut.

Knox and Sollecito have been held by the Italian police since the murder. Their trial is due to begin on 4 December; their request to be kept under house arrest has been declined by the judge.

In an unexpected development, Amanda Knox this week confessed her involvement, along with two men, in Meredith Kercher's death. According to detectives, Ms Knox broke down, and confessed to a criminal act.

Knox initially told police that she was in the house, though later changed her story, claiming she was not, in fact, in the house. Sollecito claims he was in his own flat the night of the killing.

It is only Guede who fully admits that he was in the house, claiming that he attempted to rescue Kercher when he heard screams from an intruder who he alleges looked like Sollecito. DNA evidence confirms that Guede was present and that he and Kercher had sexual contact – whether or not it was consensual is inconclusive.

Knox’s family are convinced of their daughter’s innocence and are close to financial ruin caused by the legal fees. They have said that there are serious flaws in the evidence with regards to DNA and the way in which the Italian police handled the case.

Ms Knox’s father, Curt Knox, told The Seattle Times in one of the family’s few interviews: “We don't have a choice but to believe in their legal system, we will take this as far as we have to take this, because she is walking out of there totally free of anything related to this."

After almost a year since Kercher was murdered, a leading Italian criminologist Franceso Bruno, told the BBC that the Italian police “bring in the forensic teams far too late, when the crime scenes have already been irrevocably damaged and crucial evidence lost.”

The main evidence against Guede was a bloody handprint found on Kercher’s pillow which matched his finger prints. A shard of glass was found in his shoe and his footprints were also found in the house where Meredith was murdered.

Furthermore, Guede’s flight to Germany after the killing did not act in his favour. Neither did the fast-track trial that he requested because he believed Knox and Sollecito had formed a pact to frame him. Guede hoped to be granted a lesser sentence but actually received a full Italian life sentence.

Guede has the right to appeal his 30 year sentence.