Updated

A kitchen knife believed to be the weapon used to murder British student Meredith Kercher has been shown to an Italian court.

Prosecutors claim DNA from Kercher was found on the blade while DNA from her alleged killer Amanda Knox was found on the black handle.

Police discovered the knife — which has not been proved to be the murder weapon — during a search in the kitchen of Knox's co-accused and former boyfriend, 25-year-old Raffaele Sollecito.

Defense lawyers have argued the amount of DNA on the handle is minuscule and has also possibly contaminated and therefore is not evidence enough to convict Knox of the brutal sex murder.

Kercher, 21, was found semi-naked and with her throat cut in her bedroom of the house she shared with Knox and two Italian girls in the hill top town of Perugia in November 2007.

A court official held up a white box marked 'Evidence Handle With Care' and showed it to the judge as well as prosecutors and defense.

However the knife was kept in the box wrapped in cellophane despite a request from 22-year-old Knox's lawyer Luciano Ghirga to have it removed so it could be examined more closely.

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