Tearful ‘torture’ accusations by woman at centre of Berlusconi trial

In an unusual protest in front of Milan’s courthouse, Karima el-Mahroug, better known as Ruby, read, sometimes in tears, a six-page statement denying she was a prostitute, saying she had never had sex with Mr Berlusconi and insisting that prosecutors hear her side of the story.

“I have nothing to be ashamed of and nothing to hide,” she said, denouncing what she called “psychological torture” by people pretending to help her and also accused the media of defaming her.

Mr Berlusconi is accused of having paid for sex with Ms el-Mahroug while she was a teenager during his infamous “bunga-bunga” parties at his villa near Milan, and then trying to cover it up. Both deny sexual contact.

Her protest came as Mr Berlusconi’s centre-right party is seeking to muscle its way into a governing coalition after coming in second in elections in February. Parliament is also poised in the coming weeks to elect a new president, who will have a major role in calling new elections if no government can be formed.

Ms el-Mahroug has been the most pivotal character in Mr Berlusconi’s legal woes, a one-time nightclub dancer who ended up at dinner parties at his home.

The scandal broke in 2010 when it emerged Mr Berlusconi intervened on Ms el-Mahroug’s behalf when she was accused of stealing 3,000 euro (£2,500) and was detained by Milan police. Mr Berlusconi said he did so thinking she was a relative of Egypt’s then-President Hosni Mubarak, a last name she has on her passport.