Silvio Berlusconi investigated in teenage prostitution case

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: The Guardian

Silvio Berlusconi has been formally placed under investigation on suspicion of paying for sex with a 17-year old girl, according to a statement issued today by prosecutors in Milan.

He was further accused of abusing his position as Italy's prime minister by bringing pressure to bear on the police to cover up his alleged relationship with the girl, who was working as a prostitute. The two alleged offences carry sentences totalling 15 years in jail.

The statement said Berlusconi, who has not been charged, had been invited to present himself for questioning. The prosecutors said he had been formally made a suspect on 21 December, but the news only broke today on the website of the Italian daily Corriere della Sera.

Berlusconi's legal team said today the investigation was "absurd and groundless" and the allegations raised had already been denied by the main figures in the case. They called the inquiry a "very serious interference in the private life" of the prime minister.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/14/berlusconi-investigated-teenage-prostitution-case

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Finally, could something actually make Italian voters think bad of him?

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

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[DCKit]

3. While the bar HERE is "... a dead girl or a live boy..."

Those Puritans!

[MissHoneychurch]

2. A "very serious interference in the private life" of the prime minister?

if he used his position to keep that girl out of prison????? I call bullshit!!

From the article

The case came to light after Mahroug, first named in some reports as Karima Keyek, was arrested last May on suspicion of theft. She had run away from a care home, but instead of being returned to care she was handed over to a confidante of the prime minister, Nicole Minetti.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

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[trungpa ricochet]

5. BLOCK THAT METAPHOR

"According to a series of media reports last October, Berlusconi met Mahroug, then 17, through Nicole Minetti, a TV showgirl turned dental hygienist who acquired a post in Berlusconi's Freedom People party after catching his eye while cleaning his teeth."

BWAHAHAHAHAHA! AFTER CATCHING HIS EYE WHILE CLEANING HIS TEETH?

Damn, that must have hurt.
:rofl:

[petronius]

13. Nice catch! Now I'm picturing that little hook thingy and ... aaaaghgh!

:scared:

[dipsydoodle]

6. 17 isn't underage in Italy

Italy

The age of consent in Italy is 14 years, with a close-in-age exception that allows those aged 13 to engage in sexual activity with partners who are less than 3 years older. The age of consent rises to 16 if one of the participants has some kind of influence on the other (e.g. teacher, tutor, adoptive parent).<9> Not knowing the fact that the victim is underage is not a legal defense.<10> It is also illegal to perform sexual acts in the presence of a minor with the intent of allowing the minor to witness the acts, even if they do not take an active part.<11>

See also related Wikisource articles from the Italian Criminal Code (in Italian). See also more related articles from Interpol website (in French).


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ages_of_consent_in_Europe#Vatican_State

Apparently its 12 in the Vatican because they kept the original law when it was changed for the rest of Italy late 1920's.

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. It is underage for prostitution

From the article:

The age of sexual consent under Italian law is 14, but paying for sex with a prostitute under 18 is an offence that carries a sentence of up to three years. Politicians and others found guilt of abusing their position risk jail sentences of up to 12 years.

[dipsydoodle]

11. I hadn't noticed that bit

Personally I hope he gets about 50 years.

[Bluenorthwest]

9. Consent and commerce are not the same thing.

Good lord, that seems obvious.

[Bragi]

10. Makes sense

Personally, I think there should be no prohibition against any post-pubescent person engaging in consensual sex. However, if I had to pick a fixed age for legal sex, I'd probably go with 16, tops. The Italians have it right.

As for whether a 16 year old and a 70-year old make a fine match, that is a totally different issue.

[47of74]

8. Tsk, tsk

Once again the horrible and disgusting Berlusconi is found with his pants down (literally).

[Kingofalldems]

12. Freepers love this guy

And trumpet any victory he has. Silence now.:shrug: