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Dominique Strauss-Kahn pimping trial: Former head of the IMF expected to take the stand Dominique Strauss-Kahn pimping trial: IMF chief says he was only involved in 12 sex parties in three years
(about 1 hour later)
The disgraced former IMF chef Dominique Strauss-Kahn was due to appear on the stand for the first time today in the “pimping” trial in Lille in northern France. The disgraced former IMF chef Dominique Strauss-Kahn has denied he had an “uncontrolled” obsession with sex parties – insisting he was only involved in 12 such orgies in three years.
The former French finance minister is one of 13 people accused of organising sex parties with prostitutes in six countries. In the nearly four years of allegations of sexual misconduct against Mr Strauss-Kahn since he was arrested in a New York hotel room in 2011, this was to be the first time that he answered detailed accusations in public.     Giving evidence for the first time in his pimping trial in Lille, northern France, Mr Strauss-Kahn said the impression had been given in the media that the sex parties in which he was involved were “something frenetic and out of control”.
Two half-naked women belonging to the Femen movement tried to climb on the roof of DSK’s car as he arrived at the trial. They shouted “macs (French slang for the clients of prostitutes) are guilty” before they were hauled away by police. There had only been 12 such events in three years, he said, or “four a year.”
A femen protester with 'macs (French slang for the clients of prostitutes) are guilty' on her chest outside court “I had other things to do,” he said.
Mr Strauss-Kahn is accused of helping to organise sex parties with prostitutes in Brussels, Paris, Washington, Vienna and Madrid in the period 2008-2011. The last of these “orgies-sans-frontières” is alleged to have taken place in Washington the night before DSK’s arrest in New York in May 2011 accused of attempting to rape a hotel chambermaid. Not only was he head of the International Monetary fund, he was “considering his political options (in France) and he had “difficult relations with my wife” (the journalist Anne Sinclair).
The criminal charges against him were later dropped and a civil lawsuit brought by the alleged victim was settled. In a letter read out to the court, Mr Strauss-Kahn explained that he had refused to cooperate with a psychiatric report because “I remain convinced that I have committed no crime or misdemeanour in this affair". A psychiatric report would, he said, be immediately leaked to the press.
The former IMF chief, who was once the front-runner to become French President, is accused of helping to organise the sex parties  – which could make him guilty of “pimping” under French law. He admits that he attended the orgies. He says that that he thought the women who took part were “libertines” or swingers, not prostitutes.     Mr Strauss-Kahn was asked by the president of a panel of four judges  if he had changed his mind about his guilt. He replied: “I assume you are referring to the fact that I was never aware that these women were prostitutes. No, I haven’t changed my mind.”
A femen protester with 'macs (French slang for the clients of prostitutes) are guilty' on her chest outside court The former French finance minister is one of 13 people accused of organising sex parties with prostitutes in six countries. In nearly four years of allegations of sexual misconduct against Mr Strauss-Kahn since he was arrested in a New York hotel room in 2011, this was the first time that he had answered detailed accusations in public.    
Before the trial started, two half-naked women belonging to the Femen movement tried to climb on the roof of DSK’s car as he arrived at the trial. They shouted “macs (French slang for the clients of prostitutes) are guilty” before they were hauled away by police.
Mr Strauss-Kahn is accused of helping to organise sex parties with prostitutes in Brussels, Paris, Washington, Vienna and Madrid from 2008 to 2011. The last of these “orgies –sans-frontières” took place in Washington the night before DSK’s arrest in New York in May 2011 accused of attempting to rape a hotel chambermaid. All charges were subsequently dropped by New York prosecutors.
The former IMF chief, who was once the front-runner to become French President, is accused of helping to organise the sex parties  – which could make him guilty of “pimping” under French law. He admits that he attended the orgies. He says that that he thought the women who took part were “libertines” or swingers, not prostitutes.  
Two of the prostitutes who testified during the first week of the trial last week are expected to return to the witness box later today to “confront” Mr Strauss-Kahn.Two of the prostitutes who testified during the first week of the trial last week are expected to return to the witness box later today to “confront” Mr Strauss-Kahn.
One of them, a Belgian woman, named only as Jade, told magistrates during the investigation that DSK must have known the women were prostitutes. Dominique Strauss Kahn pictured with Francois Hollande in 2005 One of them, a Belgian woman, named only as Jade, told magistrates during the investigation that DSK must have known the women were prostitutes.
She said that the orgies she was paid to attend were “carnage on a heap of mattresses” and included “brutal” sexual practices such as anal sex which did not normally occur at “soirees libertines” or “swingers’ evening”She said that the orgies she was paid to attend were “carnage on a heap of mattresses” and included “brutal” sexual practices such as anal sex which did not normally occur at “soirees libertines” or “swingers’ evening”
“At swingers’ events, people get undressed slowly. Here everyone was naked from the start,” she said.“At swingers’ events, people get undressed slowly. Here everyone was naked from the start,” she said.
The trial continues.