Foxy Knoxy shields her eyes as court is shown shocking murder photos of 23 injuries on Meredith's body

By Nick Pisa

03rd April 2009

Murdered British student Meredith Kercher had at least 23 injuries, suggesting that several people had been involved in her death, a court heard.

Pathologist Luca Lalli said there were injuries on her hands, face, neck and legs and there was evidence of sexual activity before she died.

It was likely to have been non-consensual sex, based on the many bruises and injuries found on her body, he told the court in Perugia, Italy.

Miss Kercher, a Leeds University student from Coulsdon, Surrey, was in Italy to study for one year as part of her European Studies degree. The 21-year-old had only been in Perugia for two months when she was killed in November 2007.

Knox covered her head with her arms as gruesome photographs and video of Kercher's body were shown in court, sources said.

Knox's mother Edda Mellas said during a break in the trial: 'The images upset her too much and she didn't watch them.'

Media and public were excluded as Mr Lalli's evidence was shown.

Francesco Maresca, the Kercher family's lawyer, had requested it be given in private 'out of respect' for Meredith's memory.

Last year images of her body were shown on Italian TV station Telenorba.

Mr Maresca said earlier: 'The evidence will be of a very personal nature and will involve description of her injuries and this will be very traumatic for the family - even though they will not be present.'

'They have already suffered when the images were broadcast on Italian TV earlier this year and it would not be right for them to have to go through that again.

'It was in very poor taste for these images to be broadcast and the family were very upset that's why with them I have made this request to preserve Meredith's memory and dignity.'

During today's closed-door hearings Mr Maresca said it could not be 'ruled out that hasty sexual activity, which would not leave signs of resistance, had taken place after she had been threatened with a knife."

Prosecutors say Meredith's throat was slashed three times because she refused to take part in a drug-fuelled sex game.

The court also heard from lingerie shop owner Carlo Maria Scotto di Rinaldi.

He told how couple Amanda Knox, 21, and 25-year-old Raffaele Sollecito, who both deny wrongdoing, had come in the day after the murder and she had bought a T-shirt and a G-string. He said: 'They were kissing and hugging.

'They were acting like young lovers. They were speaking in English and I picked up a few words.
'I heard Raffaele say that they would have hot sex, good sex.'

He gave police CCTV images from the shop showing the couple to the police after recognising them as suspects in the murder, he added.

The trial continues today, when Rudy Guede, 21, jailed in October for 30 years for sexual assault and murder, is due to give evidence.

The court has yet to hear from other medical experts who will explain the wounds that led to Meredith's death through blood loss and choking on her own blood.

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