Amanda Knox's parents say 'no proof of her guilt'

Amanda Knox's trial heard she stabbed Miss Kercher as her boyfriend held her down

The parents of US student Amanda Knox have insisted there is no proof their daughter murdered British student Meredith Kercher.

Knox is serving 26 years for killing the Leeds University student who was her housemate in Perugia in 2007.

Her parents said they were hopeful she would be released once judges re-examined the evidence.

Knox, 23, will appear in court in Italy later this week as her appeal resumes against her conviction.

Her mother, Edda Mellas, told Daybreak on ITV1 in an interview to be screened on Monday: "We believe that if the judges and the jury take a look at just the evidence and what we're bringing up in the appeal it's a no-brainer and they will let Amanda go."

Her father Curt Knox said: "Well, I look at it as this is a point that is Amanda's next chance to be found innocent, which she is.

"And you know this is where the physical evidence review is going to be a real key factor. And we're looking forward to that and having an independent evaluation and I think once that takes place both her and Raffaele will be let go."

Miss Kercher, 21, from Coulsdon, south London, was found dead in her bedroom in the house she lived in with Knox and others during her year abroad in the Umbrian town.

'It's impossible'

Her throat had been slit and her semi-naked body was partially covered by a duvet.

Knox's former boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, 25, is serving 25 years for holding down Miss Kercher while Knox stabbed her to death.

Their trial heard they had cornered their victim after starting a sex game with drug dealer Rudy Guede, 22, who was also jailed for 30 years for the killing, although that was cut to 16 years on appeal.

Afterwards they tried to make the death look like part of a failed burglary, breaking the window in Miss Kercher's room to look like forced entry. But police realised it had been done from the inside.

But Mrs Mellas insisted her daughter's conviction was a mistake.

She explained: "In the room where this crime occurred, in Meredith's room, there is not one speck of Amanda in that room.

"There's not a hair - not a fingerprint - not a drop of sweat - and if she had been in that room she would have left something.

"It's impossible - she couldn't just hover over the floor - you know. It was a mess - she would have left a footprint - something - but there was nothing of Amanda in that room - period."

But Mr Knox also said he feels pain for Miss Kercher's family.

He explained: "I cannot express how bad we feel for them and the loss of their daughter, but we also have a daughter that has been wrongfully convicted from our point of view and from the evidence of the room that Meredith lost her life in."

He said he looked forward to the appeals overturning "this wrongful conviction".

He added: "Although that may not put to rest finally what has happened to Meredith I can't say, but hopefully it will allow them a final closure so they can move on with their lives rather than have this continue on for years to come."