Meredith Kercher killed unlawfully, coroner finally rules

In a brief hearing at Croydon Coroner’s Court in south London, coroner Dr Roy Palmer said Miss Kercher met her death “unlawfully” at an address in Via Della Pergola in Perugia, Italy, on the night of November 1/2 2007.

“She died, the autopsy tells us, as a result of haemorraghic shock from stab and incised wounds to the vasculature of the neck. I do conclude that she was unlawfully killed,” said Dr Palmer, senior coroner for the south London area.

None of Miss Kercher’s relatives was present for the five-minute hearing.

Coroner’s Office manager Barry May said he had liaised with Miss Kercher’s brother, Lyle, who had spoken to family members, and they were “content” for the proceedings to take place in their absence.

In January Amanda Knox, 26, and Raffaele Sollecito, 29, had their guilty verdicts reinstated at Italy’s highest court for the murder of Miss Kercher.

Knox was sentenced to 28 years and six months while Sollecito was jailed for 25 years.

The pair were originally found guilty of murder in 2009. They were cleared nearly two years later - when Knox returned to the US - but the appeal court ordered a fresh trial last March.

Prosecutors claimed that Miss Kercher of Coulsdon, Surrey, was the victim of a drug-fuelled sex game gone wrong but the defendants have consistently protested their innocence and claim they were not in the apartment the night she died.

Rudy Guede, a drug dealer, is serving a 16-year sentence over the death, though the courts have said he did not act alone.

Miss Kercher’s body was repatriated almost two weeks after her death, on November 13 2007, Dr Palmer said.

He said a statement of identification had been made by her mother, Arline Kercher, the next day.

Speaking to Mr May, Dr Palmer said: “You have indicated that, on the night of 1/2 November, Meredith was found in her bedroom of her student residence... It was clearly an unnatural death.”

Dr Palmer said three individuals had been arrested and tried.

“My understanding is that one male was convicted and has not appealed and so he stands convicted of unlawful killing.”

Mr May told the court that the man - Guede - had successfully appealed to reduce his 30-year sentence to 16 years.

“The other two were convicted and appealed and I understand the present position is that they stand convicted and that there may be further proceedings in Italy?” Dr Palmer asked.

Mr May replied: “That is correct, sir.”

Dr Palmer added that he believed the Kercher family were “keen for closure” after “all these years”.

He said it was “appropriate that I do bring some closure to them by completing the inquest”.