Former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi denies 'Bunga Bunga' sex parties
Former Italian premier rejects claims he hosted sex parties and romped with prostitute aged 17
Italy's former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi denied at his trial yesterday that he hosted kinky parties, had sex with a 17-year-old prostitute or abused his powers by pressuring police officers.
Berlusconi is accused of paying for sex with Moroccan exotic dancer Karima El-Mahroug, better known by her stage name as "Ruby the Heart Stealer".
He is also charged with abusing his position as prime minister by telling police to release her when she was arrested for petty theft in May 2010.
"I never had an intimate relationship of any kind with her," the 76-year-old told the court in his second appearance at the trial in Milan which began last year.
"I was sure she was 24, as she herself said," said Berlusconi.
"I can exclude with absolute certainty that there were ever scenes of a sexual nature," he said, referring to parties held at his villa near Milan.
"Everything happened in front of the staff and at times my children too came in to say hello," said the billionaire, who has five children from two marriages, both of which ended in divorce.