Italian court clears Briton Mills in bribery case

Prosecutor Gianfranco Ciani told the court Mills, the estranged husband of Olympics minister Tessa Jowell, did indeed receive the money but conceded that the statute of limitations had expired, as the defence had argued.

The court’s ruling is a major victory for Mr Berlusconi, whose own trial in Milan on related corruption charges was put on hold pending the outcome of Mr Mills’s final appeal.

Mr Mills was found guilty of corruption in February 2009 and sentenced to 54 months in prison.

Lower court judges ruled he received 400,000 to give false evidence in two 1990s trials to shield Mr Berlusconi and his Fininvest holding company from charges relating to the purchase of US film rights.

An appeals court in October upheld the decision.

Both Mr Mills and Mr Berlusconi have denied wrongdoing, the Premier saying he was the victim of politically motivated prosecutors.

Mr Ciani told the high court yesterday there was no doubt the money changed hands as prosecutors originally charged, but that the crime dated from November 11, 1999, so the statute of limitations had expired.

Previous courts have held that the corruption occurred in February, 2000.

Mr Ciani nevertheless asked the court find in the related civil portion of the case that Mills did indeed receive the bribe and hold him liable for 250,000 in damages to the government.

In Mr Berlusconi’s portion of the case, prosecutors accused the Premier of having ordered the payment.

Mr Berlusconi’s part of the trial had been put on hold by an immunity law sparing him from prosecution while in office. But the trial resumed in December after Italy’s Constitutional Court overturned the law as unconstitutional.

Mr Mills said last night he was “very relieved”.

In a statement released after the announcement, he said he would now be able to “get back to a normal life”.

He added: “I am grateful beyond words to my family and friends who knew I was innocent and have supported me all the way through and to my wonderful lawyer, Federico Cecconi, whose friendship and professional skills have been a constant comfort, and his team.”