Berlusconi found guilty of bribing Italian senator

AC Milan's president and former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi arrives before the match against Fiorentina at San Siro stadium in Milan, in this October 26, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini

NAPLES, Italy (Reuters) - Italy's former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi was found guilty on Wednesday of bribing a senator in 2006 in an effort to topple the then centre-left government. The court in southern Italy sentenced Berlusconi to three years in jail and banned him from holding any public office for five years, a judge said in a ruling shown live on television news networks. The four-times prime minister, who is struggling to revive his political fortunes, denied the charges. He will not have to serve his sentence because a statute of limitations in the case kicks in later this year, before any appeal can be held. (Writing by Crispian Balmer; editing by Andrew Roche)