MILAN- Silvio Berlusconi has been found guilty of having sex with an underage girl. Silvio Berlusconi,  the former Italian President has been found guilty of paying for sex with an underage prostitute.

The seventy-six-year-old former leader has been sentenced to seven years in prison. He has also been banned from holding public office for life. Berlusconi was convicted by a panel of three judges after a trial in Milan Italy.

Silvio Berlusconi Convicted

Berlusconi had previously denied having sexual relations with Karima El Mahroug. The young woman who was 17 at the time  is also known as Ruby the Heart Stealer.

The nickname came after what prosecutors claimed were erotic “bunga bunga” parties at Berlusconi’s Milan mansion in 2010.

Silvio Berlusconi’s defence team attempted to claim that he believed the dancer, who was 17 at the time, was the niece of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.

The former Italian President said he just wanted to avoid a diplomatic incident.

It is expected that Berlusconi will appeal the sentence. There are two levels of appeal in the Italian Courts