Meredith Kercher murder: Italian court to decide on Knox, Sollecito convictions

Italy's top court is today expected to decide whether to uphold the convictions of Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito for the 2007 murder of British student Meredith Kercher.

The Court of Cassation in Rome will hear from Sollecito's defence team before the judges give their verdict.

Former lovers Knox and Sollecito were convicted for the second time in 2014. They have maintained their innocence throughout and have already served four years in prison.

Earlier this week, the court heard Knox's lawyer's arguments that her conviction was a grave judicial error. The verdict was originally due on Wednesday but was delayed to hear Sollecito's defence team.

The court will either confirm the guilty verdict or overturn it - by ordering another trial or effectively bringing about an acquittal.

A definitive conviction would trigger complicated attempts to extradite Knox, who currently lives in Seattle in the US.

Sollecito, 30, from Bari, southern Italy, has remained in the country, and attended the court with his current girlfriend on Wednesday. He faces a sentence of 25 years.

Knox, who is now 27, will not be in court to see if her 28-year sentence is confirmed.

The Kercher family's lawyer, Francesco Maresca, expressed hopes at the last hearing that the court's decision would bring an end to the judicial process.