Rudy Hermann Guede is reported to have told investigators he saw Raffaele Sollecito and heard the voice of Amanda Knox at the house on the night the 21-year-old was murdered.

American Knox, 20, her Italian boyfriend Sollecito, 23, and Ivorian Guede, 21, are all being held on suspicion of sexually assaulting and murdering Miss Kercher, from Coulsdon, south London, at her home in the central Italian city of Perugia on the night of November 1.

She was discovered with her throat slit and police said there was evidence of a violent sexual encounter.

Guede, who was extradited back to Italy after being arrested in Germany, has admitted being in her room the night she died, but, as with the other two, denies murder.

Italian news agency Ansa reported Guede was more forthcoming in his three hour interview with the lead investigator in the case, Giuliano Mignini, than he was when questioned by the authorities in December.

His decision to speak out was as a result of the attitude of the defenders of the two other suspects, who had more or less explicitly accused Guede of being behind the killing, the agency said.