former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has won an appeal against his conviction for paying for sex with an underage prostitute.
His seven-year prison sentence has now been thrown out by judges in Milan, in the so-called “Ruby” case.
Last year a court found that he had paid for sex with a 17-year-old nightclub dancer, Karima El-Mahroug, known as “Ruby the Heartstealer”.
Berlusconi is doing community service after being sentenced for tax fraud.
That was a separate case involving his business empire Mediaset. Berlusconi, 77, helps out once a week at a home for people with Alzheimer’s disease.
He began doing that service in May – and so far it is the only final judgment against him, despite various other court cases.
‘Bunga-bunga’ reports
In the Ruby case both Berlusconi and Ms El-Mahroug denied having had sex.
During the trial reports emerged of raunchy “bunga-bunga” parties at his private villa attended by showgirls. Some of the female guests however described them as “elegant dinner parties”.
Berlusconi was also acquitted of a charge that he abused his prime ministerial powers by pressuring the police to free Ms El-Mahroug when she was in custody.
In another separate case he is accused of having bribed a senator.
As a result of the conviction over Mediaset he was banned from holding political office for two years and expelled from the Senate.
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Source: BBC