Berlusconi cleared in Ruby sex case
Italian ex-PM Silvio Berlusconi wins his appeal against his conviction for paying for sex with an underage prostitute.
A Milan appeals court today overturned a seven-year prison term against former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi for paying for sex with an underage prostitute and abusing his power to try to cover up the affair.
Last June, a court sentenced the billionaire politician to seven years in prison as a result of the guilty verdict. Italian prosecutors can appeal Friday's decision to Italy's highest appeals court. That decision isn't likely to come before next year.
The decision is a victory for the three-time Italian prime minister, who has been fighting myriad judicial problems for years and is now serving community service for a separate one-year conviction of tax fraud. He will complete that service in February next year.
Berlusconi, who was also banned from public office and ousted from Italy's Senate as a result of the tax fraud conviction, has always denied the charges in the sex case, which dates back to May 2010.
