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| Ex-showgirl convicted of procuring women for Berlusconi parties | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| An Anglo-Italian former regional councillor and erstwhile showgirl was among three people convicted on Friday of procuring prostitutes for "bunga bunga" parties at the villa of former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. | An Anglo-Italian former regional councillor and erstwhile showgirl was among three people convicted on Friday of procuring prostitutes for "bunga bunga" parties at the villa of former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. |
| Nicole Minetti, a qualified dental hygienist who treated the then-premier when he was attacked in 2009 by a man wielding a model of Milan cathedral, was ordered by a judge in the northern city to spend five years behind bars and face a five-year ban on public office for her role in the soirées at Berlusconi's villa in Arcore. | Nicole Minetti, a qualified dental hygienist who treated the then-premier when he was attacked in 2009 by a man wielding a model of Milan cathedral, was ordered by a judge in the northern city to spend five years behind bars and face a five-year ban on public office for her role in the soirées at Berlusconi's villa in Arcore. |
| Two men – Lele Mora, a former talent scout, and Emilo Fede, who was a newsreader on the media mogul's television channels – were also convicted of bringing young women to the parties for paid-for sex with Berlusconi. | Two men – Lele Mora, a former talent scout, and Emilo Fede, who was a newsreader on the media mogul's television channels – were also convicted of bringing young women to the parties for paid-for sex with Berlusconi. |
| They were ordered to serve prison sentences of seven years each, and banned for life from public office. | They were ordered to serve prison sentences of seven years each, and banned for life from public office. |
| All three had denied wrongdoing. Lawyers for Minetti told the Ansa news agency she was "stupefied by the excessive sentence", which is likely to be suspended pending appeal. | All three had denied wrongdoing. Lawyers for Minetti told the Ansa news agency she was "stupefied by the excessive sentence", which is likely to be suspended pending appeal. |
| Lawyers for Mora and Fede immediately said they would appeal. | Lawyers for Mora and Fede immediately said they would appeal. |
| The verdict comes almost a month after Berlusconi was found guilty by a Milan court of paying for sex with one of the women brought to Arcore, a Moroccan dancer named Karima el-Mahroug who was 17 at the time and denies ever having sex with Berlusconi. The three-times prime minister was also convicted of abusing his office to cover up the alleged liaison. | The verdict comes almost a month after Berlusconi was found guilty by a Milan court of paying for sex with one of the women brought to Arcore, a Moroccan dancer named Karima el-Mahroug who was 17 at the time and denies ever having sex with Berlusconi. The three-times prime minister was also convicted of abusing his office to cover up the alleged liaison. |
| He denies the charges and the sentence – seven years in jail and a lifetime ban on holding public office – is suspended pending appeal. | He denies the charges and the sentence – seven years in jail and a lifetime ban on holding public office – is suspended pending appeal. |
| But the judges in the parallel case on Friday opened a potentially troublesome new chapter for the 76-year-old, asking prosecutors to investigate whether there might be further charges to bring against him and others in relation to evidence given during the trial dubbed "Ruby part two" by the Italian media. | But the judges in the parallel case on Friday opened a potentially troublesome new chapter for the 76-year-old, asking prosecutors to investigate whether there might be further charges to bring against him and others in relation to evidence given during the trial dubbed "Ruby part two" by the Italian media. |
| In their summing up in May, prosecutors in that trial told the court the three accused had helped to organise "orgies" at the villa and acted like "tasters of fine wine" on the prostitution circuit. | In their summing up in May, prosecutors in that trial told the court the three accused had helped to organise "orgies" at the villa and acted like "tasters of fine wine" on the prostitution circuit. |
| After they met in 2009, Minetti, 28, was plucked by Berlusconi to become a candidate for his centre-right Freedom People (PdL) party in the 2010 elections. Last month she told the court that she had never invited anyone to his dinner parties and that she had felt "a sentiment of true love" for him. | After they met in 2009, Minetti, 28, was plucked by Berlusconi to become a candidate for his centre-right Freedom People (PdL) party in the 2010 elections. Last month she told the court that she had never invited anyone to his dinner parties and that she had felt "a sentiment of true love" for him. |
| While prostitution is legal in Italy, the minimum age is 18, and exploiting prostitutes is a crime. | While prostitution is legal in Italy, the minimum age is 18, and exploiting prostitutes is a crime. |
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