Raffaele Sollecito pens book on murder of Meredith Kercher

Raffaelle Sollecito, the man convicted and later cleared of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher has written a book describing the nightmare of the aftermath of her death.

21-year-old Meredith Kercher was found dead in the house she shared with Sollecito's ex-girlfriend, American student Amanda Knox, in November 2007.

Along with Miss Knox, he was convicted in 2009 of killing Miss Kercher, but both were freed last October after their convictions were overturned on a lack of evidence.

In his book, Honour Bound, which is due out in Italy next week, Mr Sollecito maintains his and Knox's innocence, and criticised the police for their handling of the case.

He said the police reached far-fetched conspiracy theories instead of the simpler explanation that Rudy Guede, currently serving a 16-year sentence for the sexual assault and murder of the Miss Kercher, was responsible.

He described his first night in prison, saying he wavered between "great waves of indignation and a nagging sense of guilt".

He said he was angry at himself for not being able to remember details from the night of the murder, as he and Miss Knox had spent the evening smoking marijuana.

Mr Sollecito said the tabloid portrayals of himself and his ex-girlfriend were "unrecognisable to themselves."

He did admit he could see why the police found their behaviour "odd" and acknowledged they had "no real alibi the night of November 1 except each other".

Mr Sollecito said he was unaware of television cameras filming the couple as they caressed whilst police examined the crime scene.

He also described "feeling uneasy" at the police station when Miss Knox climbed in his lap and draped her arms over him.

When they were finally acquitted, Sollecito writes that he felt "indescribable joy".

Amanda Knox is also writing a book, due out next spring, in a deal reportedly worth £2.5 million.