British student Ms Kercher, a 21-year-old from Coulsdon, Surrey, was sexually assaulted and stabbed to death in Perugia in 2007.

Her flatmate Knox, a student from Seattle in the US, and Knox's then-boyfriend Sollecito spent four years in jail for the murder but were acquitted on appeal in 2011.

Knox returned to the US before an appeal court threw out the acquittal and reinstated her and Sollecito's guilty verdicts last year.

Italy's Supreme Court is due to decide today if it finally upholds those convictions, which would put an end to eight years of courtroom twists and turns, or orders another appeal.

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

Sollecito, 30, has had his travel documents seized and has said he will be at the hearing. He was sentenced to 25 years.

The Kercher family, who will not be in court, have said they would like to see Knox extradited to Italy if her conviction is confirmed.

The family's lawyer Francesco Maresca said earlier this week: "The interest of the family is to arrive to the end of this trial. They want to be able to remember Meredith outside of the court room."

Knox said last year she would become a "fugitive" if convicted and would have to be taken back "kicking and screaming" to Italy.

If the court backs her conviction, Italian legal experts have said she could delay going to jail if she were pregnant.

Last month, she revealed her engagement to 27-year-old musician and school friend Colin Sutherland, who wrote to her while she was in jail.

There has also been speculation that political pressure from the US could hamper the extradition process.

Sollecito is reportedly seeking to separate his case from Knox's, with his lawyers pointing out that a partial confession written by the American and later retracted did not mention his presence at the scene of the crime.

If that argument succeeds, the Italian could be given a new trial.