Italian Judge Backs 'buffoon' Attack on Berlusconi

Italy's highest appeals court has ruled that calling the former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi a "buffoon" can be actively useful for society.

Overruling the conviction of a freelance journalist who hurled insults at the then premier as he left a court three years ago, the court of cassation acknowledged that the man had levelled "strong criticism". But Judge Alfonso Amato argued in a written judgment that it was "socially useful in terms of the interest of society as a whole in the expression of opinions".

The judge added that a courthouse was the "ideal" place in which to "stimulate reflection on the subject of legality and respect for the law".

In May 2003 Pietro Ricca, 31, confronted Mr Berlusconi as the then premier was leaving a trial in Milan in which he was accused of bribing judges to obtain a favourable takeover decision. He was later acquitted. "Buffoon!" shouted Mr Ricca. "Get yourself convicted." He compared Mr Berlusconi to Romania's late dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu, and was then arrested.

Last month the court revoked a €500 (£340) fine imposed on Mr Ricca on charges of impugning Mr Berlusconi's honour, and ordered a magistrate to try him again - a ruling likely to mean the case is "timed out" by a statute of limitations.

Judge Amato's explanation of the ruling, released this week, angered conservative politicians yesterday. Fabrizio Cicchitto, of the ex-premier's Forza Italia party, said: "It is evident that there are no limits to the partisanship [of Italy's judges]." Mr Berlusconi has long complained of being hounded by left-leaning magistrates.