Silvio Berlusconi denies sex charges

Friday 19 October 2012 23:59 BST

Karima “Ruby” El Mahroug and Silvio Berlusconi (REUTERS)

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Silvio Berlusconi told a court in Milan yesterday that there had "never been scenes of a sexual nature" at his notorious Arcore mansion soirees – just months after other witnesses told judges that strippers in nun costumes were paid to fondle other guests and remove each other's underwear.

The former Prime Minister, 76, was making his first declaration in the trial in which he is fighting charges of paying for sex with an under-age girl, and of abuse of office.

Prosecutors claim Mr Berlusconi paid the belly dancer Karima "Ruby" El Mahroug for sex in 2010 when she was 17. He again denied having had sex with her yesterday.

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