Berlusconi a no-show at trial hearing

ROME, May 31 (UPI) -- Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi was not in attendance Tuesday as a trial into allegations he paid to have sex with an underage prostitute resumed in Milan.

Berlusconi, who also did not attend the trial's opening hearing April 6, is on a visit to Romania and his lawyers said he was unable to be present because of official commitments, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.

Berlusconi has denied paying to have sex with Karima El Mahroug, a Moroccan runaway also known as Ruby, before she turned 18 and has also denied allegations he abused his position to get her released from jail after an unrelated accusation of theft last year.

Mahroug has denied having sex with Berlusconi and said money he gave her was a gift.

Lawyers for Berlusconi have filed 16 objections to the trial proceedings, including an assertion the trial should be moved to a special court for ministers.

They argued Berlusconi was acting in an official capacity when he telephoned the police station to ask about Mahroug and was trying to avoid a diplomatic incident as he had been falsely informed Mahroug was a relative of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

"If he is considered to have been acting as a public official, i.e. the premier, the case files should be sent to the Ministers Court," defense lawyer Niccolo Ghedini said.

An abuse of power charge carries a possible jail term of 12 years.

Berlusconi has claimed left-leaning prosecutors have trumped up the accusations against him, ANSA reported.