Court rejects Berlusconi challenges in sex trial

A MILAN court rejected submissions by Silvio Berlusconi’s defence team in the trial against the Italian premier for alleged bribery and paying for sex with a 17-year-old girl.

Lawyers for the prime minister had presented 16 complaints in the trial, including a challenge to the court’s right to hear the case.

“In light of the charges, the court considers itself to be competent,” the ruling said.

Berlusconi is accused of paying for sex with Moroccan-born Karima El Mahroug, better known as “Ruby the Heart Stealer”, when she was 17, at a series of wild “dinner” parties held at his private villa in the north of Italy.

The prime minister is also suspected of abusing his powers by having the girl sprung from police custody when she was arrested in 2010 for alleged theft.

The premier’s lawyers argued that the prostitution charge for the television magnate should be heard by a court in Monza, closer to his luxurious personal residence in Arcore, where the alleged crime took place.

His defence also challenged the Milan court’s authority to hold the trial at all, saying the abuse of power charge should be considered by a special ministers’ court.

The court ruled the trial should not be held in a special minister’s court because Berlusconi was not acting within his role of prime minister when he called the police, but was simply abusing his political power.