Berlusconi sex trial opens with examination of phone taps

PanARMENIAN.Net - Silvio Berlusconi's sex crime trial opens today, April 6, with the billionaire Italian Prime Minister facing the examination of phone taps of his alleged calls to bunga-bunga party girls.

The media mogul, 74, is accused of paying for sex with a runaway Moroccan bellydancer nicknamed "Ruby the Heart-Stealer" when she was 17. The legal age for prostitution in Italy is 18. She has publicly denied having sex with him and he denies any wrongdoing.

A total of 115 journalists have requested accreditation for the unprecedented trial of a sitting European leader for using an underage prostitute. TV crews, barred from the hearing, are setting up camp outside the courthouse in Milan.

Mr Berlusconi faces four concurrent criminal trials, including the prospect of up to 15 years in jail if convicted of underage prostitution and abuse of office in the Ruby case. The latter arises from accusations that he intervened to have Ruby released from police custody on theft allegations. However, Europe's longest-serving leader shows no sign of quitting.

Supporters of Mr Berlusconi said that he was acting in his official capacity when he intervened to free Ruby from police custody because he thought that she was the niece of Hosni Mubarak, then the Egyptian President.

Mr Berlusconi does not plan to attend the hearing today. The three judges are expected simply to schedule the trial, with the next hearing expected on May 31, according to The Australian.