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Italian court to rule on Berlusconi sex case transfer

by Reuters
Wednesday, 6 July 2011 10:49 GMT

* Berlusconi wants case moved to Rome

* Trial to continue in Milan pending decision

ROME, July 6 (Reuters) - Italy's constitutional court agreed on Tuesday to consider an appeal for a prostitution case against Silvio Berlusconi to be moved from a court in Milan to a tribunal for ministers in Rome.

Berlusconi denies charges that he paid for sex with an underaged Moroccan teenager called Ruby, and alleges he is the victim of biased Milan magistrates.

The constitutional court ruled on Tuesday that it could consider an appeal by the centre-right controlled lower house of parliament, arguing that the ministerial tribunal in Rome should hear charges against Berlusconi of abuse of power, part of the prostitution case.

The court is expected to decide which tribunal should hear the case by the end of the year. Berlusconi's trial in Milan will continue in the meantime.

Moving the case would force prosecutors to restart from scratch before the ministerial tribunal, voiding a large part of their work on the case so far.

Berlusconi, 74, went on trial in April on charges he gave Karima El Mahroug, a nightclub dancer with the stage name Ruby, cash and jewels in exchange for sex when she was 17 years old.

The media magnate admits a fondness for young women but denies having sex with Ruby and dismisses accusations of wild sex parties at his residence.

Berlusconi managed to brush off a series of sex scandals soon after sweeping to power in 2008, but his fortunes have suffered after an acrimonious split with ally Gianfranco Fini last year that cost him a guaranteed majority in parliament.

A string of corruption cases, a faltering economy and the "Rubygate" scandal have taken their toll on the tycoon, whose support among voters now stands at a record low of 29 percent, according to pollsters IPR.

The drop in the government's support was underscored by the loss of the Milan mayoral seat in local elections in May, which was followed by defeats in referendums on nuclear energy, water privatisation and trial immunity for government ministers.

(Writing by Deepa Babington, editing by Tim Pearce)

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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