George Clooney called as witness in Silvio Berlusconi trial

Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi made a rare appearance at his sensational sex trial in Milan on Friday, denying that he had ever had sex with an underage belly dancer and claiming actor George Clooney can help him prove it.

"To have a big movie star come from Hollywood all the way to Italy to testify on your behalf, I mean that's credibility for you," ABC news quoted legal analyst Jean Casarez as saying. "It also could give some respect to the defense itself."

George Clooney. Pic/Santa Banta

Berlusconi, a 76-year-old media mogul is accused of paying a Moroccan showgirl, known as 'Ruby the Heart Stealer' for sex more than a dozen times - when she attended his infamous âBunga Bunga' parties in 2010, aged 17.

Al Mahroug has denied she slept with Berlusconi, but has told prosecutors of risque scenes at Berlusconi's mansion outside Milan. She also claimed she saw Clooney at one of the parties. u00a0Clooney, however, has denied ever partying with the former Italian Prime Minister.

"I spoke to their people and said, âI will come and testify if you'd like,' because I wasn't at the party that I was said to have been at. I wasn't at his âbunga bunga' party," Clooney told Time Magazine last year. u00a0