Berlusconi to stand trial on charges of paying for underage sex

The Italian premier will go on trial in April following a court ruling in Milan today.

ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER Silvio Berlusconi will stand trial in April on charges of paying for sex with a 17-year-old girl following a judge’s ruling today.

A judge in Milan ordered that Berlusconi stand trial with prosecutors saying that the 74-year-old billionaire businessman paid for sex with a 17-year-old girl and then conspired to cover it up, reports the Washington Post.

Prosecutors allege that Berlusconi paid for sex with a Moroccan born Karima El Mahroug, nicknamed Ruby, who was underage at the time.

He is then said to have used his influence to get her released after she had been arrested for an alleged theft.

Berlusconi denies the allegations of paying for sex but admits to seeking her release from police custody, denying it was an abuse of power.

Judge Cristina Di Censo issued her indictment with a terse statement and said the trial against Berlusconi will begin on 6 April.

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