Raffaele Sollecito: I’ve been persecuted over death of British student Meredith Kercher

One of Meredith Kercher’s alleged killers today tearfully told an Italian court that he had “nothing to do” with her murder and had suffered an “astonishing persecution” at the hands of prosecutors.

Computer studies graduate Raffaele Sollecito, 29, and his then girlfriend Amanda Knox, 26, are both accused of murdering Miss Kercher, a Leeds University student from Coulsdon, who was studying at Perugia when she was found with her throat cut in 2007.

Knox was not in court for the hearing, which comes after Italy’s Supreme Court overturned their 2011 acquittal and ordered a retrial. She has chosen to remain in her hometown of Seattle, as is her right under Italian law.

Softly-spoken Sollecito arrived at the Florence court after taking an “extended holiday” in the Caribbean. He described how his life had “changed dramatically and become a nightmare” since he was accused of the murder.

He said: “I feel that there has been an astonishing persecution towards me. I have been described as a calculated killer but I am not that. At the moment I don’t have a real life. I am asking you [judges] to correct mistakes that have been made and that have been made by those that condemned me.”

Ivory Coast drifter Rudy Guede has been convicted of involvement in the murder and is serving a 16-year prison sentence. Sollecito said: “I met Amanda and she was my first real love. It blossomed a little late for me because I was shy. We were 20 years old ... we were living a carefree life, isolated from everyone, it was our fairytale.

“I was arrested for a shoe print that was later discovered to be that of Rudy Guede. I was arrested because I was carrying a flick-knife which was later proved to not be the murder weapon.

“I have always been an honest person, as have my family. I grew up in an Italian family that taught me values. My family have never had any problems with the justice system and I have never been in trouble.”

He added: “I didn’t know Rudy and I barely knew Meredith, there is no sense at all into thinking that I would have any interest in carrying out such an atrocious act against a 20 year old girl.” Miss Kercher’s body was found in her bedroom at the house she shared with Knox and two Italian women. Sollecito, who made a secret visit to Miss Kercher’s grave at Coulsdon, near Croydon, earlier this year, said he was attending the hearing to clear his name.

Both Sollecito and Knox insist they had nothing to do with the killing.

After today’s hearing, the trial will resume on November 25 for arguments from the prosecution.