At 24 Raffaele Sollecito, is three years older than Amanda Knox. The son of a well-to-do and respected urologist from Giovinazzo, near Bari in southern Italy, he was on the point of completing a degree in computer science at Perugia University at the time of the murder.

He is usually described as Ms Knox’s boyfriend, though they had only known each other for two weeks. They were photographed embracing tenderly after the murder, and were later seen shopping for exotic lingerie in a Perugia shop and discussing the prospect of sexual activity. The Perugia prosecutor claims the pair assaulted Meredith in the search for an “extreme experience”.

Mr Sollecito, noted for his long wavy hair, stylish dress sense and expensive cars, was able to afford his own flat, up the hill from the University for Foreigners and the whitewashed hillside cottage overlooking a wooded valley, which Ms Knox shared with Ms Kercher and two female Italian students. Police found the alleged murder weapon, a kitchen knife, at his flat, together with cleaning materials allegedly used to clean both the knife and the scene of the crime.

Mr Sollecito had a knife collection and had read violent Japanese Manga comics before Meredith’s murder - though as his father Francesco Sollecito points out, neither is a crime or proves that Raffaele took part in the murder. Mr Sollecito claims he spent the evening and night of the crime smoking cannabis with Amanda, and watching films on his computer and surfing the Internet. The prosecution and defence lawyers differ on whether computer and phone records bear this out.

He has been hazy in testimony over whether Ms Knox was with him all or part of the time. Forensic investigators say that a bloody footprint in Meredith’s bedroom is compatible with trainers owned by Mr Sollecito, but his lawyers dispute this. Police also say Mr Sollecito’s DNA was found on the strap of Meredith’s bra - a crucial piece of evidence in the prosecution case against him. His father has hired a team of top lawyers for his son’s defence.

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