**British student Meredith Kercher was killed because she knew “all three of her attackers”, a court has heard.**Francesco Maresca, the Kercher family’s lawyer, said Amanda Knox, Raffaele Sollecito and a third man, had reached a point of no return.
Miss Knox, 22, and her former boyfriend Sollecito, 25, deny charges of murder and sexual violence involving Miss Kercher, 21, of Coulsdon, Surrey.
The Italian jury is expected to retire on Thursday to consider its verdict.
Rudy Guede, 22, from Ivory Coast, was jailed for 30 years after he was convicted in a separate trial. He has launched an appeal against his conviction.
‘Sexual violence’
Prosecutors say Miss Kercher was murdered in a drug-fuelled sexual assault. The Leeds University student was found dead in her flat in Perugia, central Italy, in November 2007.
Mr Maresca said Miss Kercher had been killed because her attackers had known they would otherwise be punished for what they had done.
“Meredith was killed because she knew all three of her attackers,” he said.
“The murder happened step by step, sexual violence and then murder.”
He said Miss Knox’s and Mr Sollecito’s behaviour was evidence of their guilt.
Miss Knox reportedly turned cartwheels at the police station while she was waiting to be questioned about the murder of her housemate.
“Is the behaviour of Amanda Knox at the police station logical when Meredith’s body was still warm” said Mr Maresca. "Is it logical to say that this murder was carried out by just one person
“Is it logical that these young people had their phones switched off on that night when young people usually have their phones on the whole time”