Dancer Ruby goes missing in Silvio trial

Milan magistrates have ordered police to search for a Moroccan nightclub dancer at the centre of a sex trial involving Silvio Berlusconi, now seeking a fifth term as prime minister in an election next year, after she failed to show up in court.

The incident, just days after Berlusconi announced he was planning to run in an election expected in February, came as a reminder of the sex scandals that plagued his last government andprecipitated his demise.

Karima El Mahroug, better known by her stage name of “Ruby the Heartstealer“, was due to testify yesterday but did not provide any valid justification for her absence, prosecutor Ilda Boccassini said in court.