Berlusconi sex trial witness fined after no-show

The young Moroccan woman at the centre of Silvio Berlusconi’s sex-for-hire scandal has been fined for failing to appear as a witness twice at the former premier’s trial.

Karima el-Mahroug, also known as Ruby the Heart Stealer, was the last witness to be called in the trial that accuses Berlusconi of having paid for sex with her when she was 17, and then trying to cover it up. She has been ordered to turn up next month.

The court fined Ms el-Mahroug, who is in Mexico on holiday, €500.