Kerchers ‘back to square one’ in justice quest

Italian prosecutors confirmed yesterday that they would challenge an appeal court’s decision to free Knox, 24, and her co-accused Raffaele Sollecito, 27, who had served almost four years behind bars for Miss Kercher’s killing.

The appeal will be backed by Miss Kercher’s family, who said they accepted the court’s verdicts but remained dissatisfied with the outcome of the case.

Miss Kercher’s brother Lyle said: “While we accept the decision that was handed down ... and respect the court and the Italian justice system, we do find that we are now left obviously looking at this again and thinking how a decision that was so certain two years ago has been so emphatically overturned now.”

Mr Kercher added: “It’s my understanding that the prosecutors will be going ahead to appeal the decision but I believe it’s actually someone higher up who decides that.

“We would support them fully in that.”

Miss Kercher’s sister Stephanie said: “It may be a case of waiting another year now to get the truth and we can’t decide that.

“We have to leave that to the police, the forensics and the courts.”

The Leeds University student had been on a one-year course in the Italian town of Perugia when her semi-naked body was discovered in a flat she shared with Knox on November 2, 2007.

Knox and Sollecito were jailed for her murder in 2009, but their convictions were quashed on Monday after DNA evidence in the case was disputed.

A lawyer for the only person still in jail for the killing, drug dealer Rudy Guede, 24, from the Ivory Coast, said he would seek a retrial.

Miss Kercher’s mother, Arline, said the family was still “absorbing” the decision.

“You think you have come to a decision and obviously it has been overturned,” she said. “I think it is very early days really.”

Mrs Kercher added: “What happened to my daughter, Meredith, is every parent’s nightmare.”

The student’s mother came close to showing sympathy for Knox and Sollecito, who both denied any involvement in the killing.

She said she could understand why Knox might feel that she had lost her life over the last four years.

“I don’t think anyone’s going to get off scot free,” she said. “Their lives have been disrupted.”

Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini, who had maintained that Miss Kercher was killed by Knox, Sollecito and Guede during a drug-fuelled sex game, confirmed he would appeal to Italy’s highest criminal court after publication of the reasons for the acquittals, due within 90 days.

“Let’s wait and we will see who was right – the first court or the appeal court,” said Mr Mignini. “This trial was done under unacceptable media pressure.”

The highest court would rule on whether any procedures were violated. Defendants are not required to attend its hearings, which normally last a day and are held in Rome.

If the acquittal is overturned, prosecutors would be free to request Knox’s extradition to Italy to finish whatever remained of her sentence.

But it is thought to be highly unlikely that Knox will ever be sent back to Italy over the charges.

The Prime Minister said his thoughts were with the Kercher family.

“Obviously there is somebody in prison for the murder still,” David Cameron said, “but one can’t help but think of the difficult time they will be going through.”