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| Silvio Berlusconi is unlikely to go to jail because of his age |
Berlusconi's
era
Italy's
supreme court has upheld a prison sentence given to former PM Silvio Berlusconi
for tax fraud.
When he was
convicted in October last year, he was sentenced to four years in prison but
this was automatically reduced to one under a 2006 pardon law.
Berlusconi
faces house arrest or community service instead of going to jail because of his
age - he is 76.
However,
the court ordered a review of a five-year ban on public office that was part of
the original sentence.
It is the
billionaire businessman's first definitive conviction in up to 30 court cases
on a variety of charges.
The ruling
by Rome's Court of Cassation came after a three-day hearing.
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| Opponents of Silvio Berlusconi celebrated Thursday's court ruling |
The
judicial review of the five-year ban from public office will enable Berlusconi
to remain as a senator and as leader of his centre-right People of Freedom
Party (PDL) for the moment.
The BBC's
Alan Johnston in Rome says it is a devastating judgement against the former
prime minister, although he will be relieved that judges ordered a review of
the political ban.
The PDL is
part of Italy's coalition government.
Our
correspondent says Berlusconi remains an influential figure and there are
concerns that a political ban could threaten the stability of the government.
Italian
president Giorgio Napolitano issued a statement after the court ruling, urging
the country to stay calm.
"The
country needs to rediscover serenity and cohesion on vitally important
institutional matters which have for too long seen it divided and unable to
enact reforms," he said.
The
original ruling said that Berlusconi's Mediaset media empire had inflated the
price it paid for film distribution rights to avoid paying taxes.
He was
labelled the "author of a whole system of tax fraud".
The
three-time prime minister and senator has faced a string of court cases.
Appeals are
pending in other cases in which he was convicted of having paid for sex with an
underage prostitute and arranging for a police wiretap to be leaked and
published in a newspaper.
He accuses
magistrates from his home city of Milan of pursuing a "vendetta"
against him.
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