Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has been found guilty of paying for sex

                         
Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has been found guilty of paying for sex with an underage prostitute.

The 76-year-old was sentenced to seven years in prison and banned from holding public office by a panel of three judges in Milan.

He previously denied having sex with Karima El Mahroug, also known as Ruby the Heart Stealer, after what prosecutors claimed were erotic "bunga bunga" parties at his lavish villa in 2010.

The court heard how dozens of young women, including Miss El Mahroug, who was 17 at the time, were paid with cash, money and cars to attend the evenings and dance semi-naked for him.

His defence claimed he believed the dancer was the niece of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak and wanted to avoid a diplomatic incident.

Berlusconi was also found guilty of abuse of office by arranging to have Miss El Mahroug, now 19, released from police custody when she was arrested on suspicion of theft.

His lawyer, Niccolo Ghedini, immediately announced an appeal, describing the sentence as "beyond reality" and "completely illogical".

"The judges even went beyond the prosecutors' request (for a six-year sentence)," he added.

Berlusconi has always insisted he is being persecuted by judges as part of a political plot.

Sky's Nick Pisa, in Milan, said: "Even before judge Giulia Turri and her two female assistants returned their guilty verdicts after seven hours, Berlusconi had told friends his guilt was a 'done deal', insisting he had no chance of a fair trial because of the political bias."