"
Buy one pizza and get one free at PizzaExpress
Kercher murder: the three versions
An immigrant who turned his back on his adoptive family and drifted into a life of petty crime was tonight found guilty and sentenced tonight to 30 years' jail for the murder and sexual assault of the British student Meredith Kercher, who was killed in Perugia one year ago.
In a separate ruling, Amanda Knox, Ms Kercher's American flatmate, and Ms Knox's former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, who have been in custody ever since the crime, were ordered to stand trial on 4 December for Ms Kercher's death.
The pair are also accused of murder, sexual assault and the theft of Ms Kercher's cash. Rudy Guede was cleared of theft.
Guede, 21, who was arrested after fleeing to Germany and extradited to Italy, had opted for a fast-track trial in the hope of a reduced sentence if found guilty. The prosecution had asked for a life term. However in Italy a life term often means thirty years in practice. Walter Biscotti, Guede's lawyer, told The Times he would lodge an immediate appeal.
Ms Kercher's parents, John and Arlene, her sister Stephanie and brother Lyle were in court in Perugia to hear the ruling by the judge, Paolo Micheli. The family had also attended the opening of the pre-trial hearings for Ms Knox and Mr Sollecito in September, when they said they hoped for justice for the daughter and announced they would seek 25 million euros in compensation.
Commenting on Guede's conviction, Francesco Maresca, the Kercher family's lawyer said: ""We are very satisfied, even though it means this young man now faces a very heavy sentence.""
Judge Micheli, who delivered his ruling after eleven hours of deliberation, said he would decide today whether to grant a request by the defence for the pair to be released from prison and placed under house arrest while awaiting trial.
In the closing stages of the pre-trial hearings Giuliano Mignini, the prosecutor, rejected claims police had contaminated DNA evidence placing all three suspects at the scene of the crime.
The prosecution alleged that the three took part in a drug-fuelled Hallowe’en sex party in which Ms Kercher, from Coulsdon, Surrey, was an unwilling participant and which ended with her death. She was found on November 2 last year half naked and with her throat cut under a duvet in the bedroom of the cottage she shared with Ms Knox. The pathologist said she had died a “slow and agonising death”.
According to a prosecution reconstruction Guede and Mr Sollecito held Ms Kercher down after she had been forced to her knees, while Ms Knox stabbed her in the throat. Much of the pre-trial process has centred on the DNA evidence, which forms the crux of the prosecution case.
Mr Guede admitted he was at the cottage on the evening of the crime, but claimed he was innocent and that Ms Knox and Mr Sollecito had sought to frame him for the murder. His lawyers had argued there was nothing to link him to the presumed murder weapon, a kitchen knife that had traces of the DNA of Ms Knox and Ms Kercher but not of Guede.
The inside track on current trends in the charity, not for profit and social enterprise sectors
Explore your passion for food with the delights of Thai, Indian & Chinese cooking
In our new series, Tony Hawks takes a dry, wry look at modern life - junk mail, interminable meetings and snooty sales assistants
Read the training tips and advice that helped our London Triathletes
Read our exclusive 100 Years of Fleming and Bond interactive timeline, packed with original Times articles and reviews
The latest travel news plus the best hotels and gadgets for business travellers
Shortcuts to help you find sections and articles
2007
£30,000
2008
£44,950
2005
£10,245
Great car insurance deals online
Charity Commission
London
c. £50,000 + benefits
British Medical Association
London
£
75k + big bonus
Lyle & scott
London with overseas travel
£54,054 - £66,950
National Improvement Policing Improvement Agency
London
From £89,950
Great Investment, River Views
2 bed flat for rent
£1080PCM
Also avaliable for rent
$3.5 million
Captivating Caribbean
SAVE 25% at Sandals Resorts!
Deps 01 Nov - 20 Dec 08
£469 per person
List your property with two leading travel websites
Great travel insurance deals online
Contact our advertising team for advertising and sponsorship in Times Online, The Times and The Sunday Times. Globrix Property Search - search houses for sale and rooms and property to rent in the UK. Milkround Job Search - for graduate careers in the UK. Visit our classified services and find jobs, used cars, property or holidays. Use our dating service, read our births, marriages and deaths announcements, or place your advertisement.
Copyright 2008 Times Newspapers Ltd.
This service is provided on Times Newspapers' standard Terms and Conditions. Please read our Privacy Policy.To inquire about a licence to reproduce material from Times Online, The Times or The Sunday Times, click here.This website is published by a member of the News International Group. News International Limited, 1 Virginia St, London E98 1XY, is the holding company for the News International group and is registered in England No 81701. VAT number GB 243 8054 69.