The young man who stabbed his father to death to protect his mother from a vicious beating has said he still loves his dad and if it were possible to take his place and die instead of him, he would.

The Court of Assizes in the city of Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont acquitted Alex Pompa, 20, of the murder of his father, 52-year-old Giuseppe Pompa, on Thursday, 24th November.

Alex stabbed his dad “dozens” of times protect his mother from a particularly bad episode of domestic violence at their home in the town of Collegno on 30th April last year.

Despite a long history of violent behaviour by the father towards his family members, on this occasion he was convinced that his mother was going to be killed.

He has maintained all along that he has no memory of losing control of himself and repeatedly stabbing his dad on the night of the crime.

And the jury agreed after listening to harrowing recordings of the extremely jealous father, who attempted to constantly control his wife and would beat his sons when they got in the way.

The court heard how Giuseppe committed regular acts of domestic violence towards Alex, his brother, and, above all, their mother, who worked in the local supermarket as a cashier and whom he was convinced was convinced was having affairs with more than one of her colleagues.

Alex was quoted in local media as saying about the incident: “I have no memories of those moments, I was completely in shock. I am absolutely sorry for what I did, I said from the first moment that if I could go back I would never, ever do it again. I would rather die than my father.”

Alex added that the killing was not premeditated, saying: “There wasn’t a time when I decided to kill my father. It was a moment I don’t remember, I don’t know what happened that evening.”

The father’s abuse had got so bad that Alex and his brother coordinated their lives so that one of them would always be at home when their parents were both in.

Alex’s mum had previously told the court in Turin that her son’s actions saved her life, with both describing Giuseppe’s act of violence that fateful night as like no other they had seen before.

Giuseppe flew into his latest rage after spying on his wife at work and noticing that her colleague touched her on the shoulder twice, making him convinced that this was her latest affair.

He reportedly drank several glasses of wine before taking out his rage on his wife that same evening, prompting Alex to grab a knife and stab his dad numerous times.

Alex was quoted in local media as saying: “Dad was jealous, convinced that mum, at her workplace, had God knows how many lovers. As a cashier at the supermarket, she would smile at the customers and that didn’t sit well with my father.”

Despite growing up with his dad’s constant abuse, Alex added: “I never stopped loving my father.”