Berlusconi Told To Work In Old People's Home

Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has been ordered to do a year of community service for his tax fraud conviction.

A Milan court on Tuesday ruled he must spend at least four hours a week working at an old people's home, reportedly a Church-run centre situated on the outskirts of the city.

His lawyers had asked for him to work one day a week in a centre for disabled and elderly people near his home in Milan.

The 77-year-old was also restricted in his movements and told he must spend most of his time in the Lombard region where he lives, but was granted permission to travel to Rome each week.

Berlusconi's conviction for tax fraud, which was upheld last year , stems from his purchase of television distribution rights in the 1990s.

A court heard he was behind a scheme to purchase the rights to broadcast US movies on his TV networks through a series of offshore companies and had falsely declared the payments to avoid taxes.

He claimed he did not receive a fair trial and judges were trying to "eliminate" him from public office.

Berlusconi has already been expelled from parliament and banned from standing for office for six years.

However, he is not expected to serve time in prison because of the Italian legal system's leniency for over-70s.

His community service sentence could also be cut for good behaviour.

Berlusconi has been embroiled in a number of high-profile court cases in recent years.

Last June, the three-time prime minister was found guilty of paying for sex with underage prostitute Karima El Mahroug, also known as Ruby the Heart Stealer.

During his trial, a court in Milan heard dozens of young women, including Miss El Mahroug, who was 17 at the time, were paid with cash and cars to attend his so-called "bunga bunga" parties and dance semi-naked for him.

At the time, his lawyers said they would appeal the verdict.