Prosecutors call for Silvio Berlusconi to be jailed for one year for ‘passing on wire-tapped phonecall details’

Italian prosecutors are seeking a jail sentence for the country's former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi for allegedly revealing confidential information about an investigation into a financial scandal.

The case relates to a judicial inquiry into an attempt by insurer Unipol to take over bank BNL, now owned by BNP Paribas, in 2005.
Berlusconi is accused of obtaining details of a wire-tapped phone conversation about the deal and passing them to Il Giornale, the newspaper owned by his brother Paolo.

Prosecutors are seeking a one-year jail sentence for Berlusconi, who has announced he will run as a candidate for prime minister in elections expected in February.

Earlier this week the controversial figure announced his engagement to a girl young enough to be his granddaughter.
The twice-married 76-year-old confirmed that his new partner was TV showgirl Francesca Pascale, 27, who has been at his side constantly in recent weeks following his announcement that he would seek to be elected prime minister once again.
since he announced he would be running in next February’s General Election.

The revelation came despite the fact he is still officially tied to his second wife Veronica Lario.

Berlusconi, who is currently on trial accused of having sex with an underage prostitute, said: 'It’s official, I have got engaged to Francesca Pascale and finally I feel less lonely.'

In recent weeks the two have been seen together at the San Siro stadium in Milan watching his AC Milan football team and they were also snapped laughing and joking at a pizzeria in the city centre.