Dancer in Berlusconi sex scandal has a baby girl

The Moroccan-born dancer at the centre of a major sex scandal and trial involving former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has given birth to a baby girl by her nightclub-owner boyfriend.

Karima El Mahroug, 19, known by her stage name, Ruby the Heart Stealer, gave birth to Sofia at a clinic in Genoa yesterday.

She told Italian television that she hoped her daughter would have “a serene and tranquil life with her family and with much love”.

The father is Luca Risso, 42, who owns two nightclubs in the northern Italian city.

Mr Berlusconi is on trial in Milan on charges that he paid Ms El Mahroug for sex in 2010 when she was 17 and legally underage, and then abused his office by getting her released from police custody after she had been arrested for theft.

The so-called Rubygate scandal is part of allegations that Mr Berlusconi held orgies in his Milan villa involving dozens of starlets and prostitutes, which badly damaged his once-buoyant popularity.

Both Ms El Mahroug and Mr Berlusconi denied they had sex.