Berlusconi, wife divorce battle gets nastier

London, June 6 : The divorce battle between Silvio Berlusconi and his former actress wife Veronica Lario is set to get nastier - the Italian Premier's better half can now reportedly call a former prostitute and an aspiring model to give evidence about the breakdown of their marriage.

Lario, Berlusconi's wife of 19 years, demanded a divorce in May 2009 after he attended the 18th birthday party of Noemi Letizia, a would-be model, in Naples.

At the time Lario claimed Berlusconi "frequents underage girls".

However, even as Berlusconi, 73, repeatedly denied being involved with Letizia or having illicit relationships with minors, it recently emerged that he has indeed been in touch with Letizia.

She revealed last month on reaching her 19th birthday that Berlusconi, who she calls "Papi", continues to phone her once a week.

Letizia said: "He wants to know how I am, what I'm doing."

Berlusconi's private life came under the limelight once again when Patrizia D'Addario, 42, a former prostitute, claimed she slept with the billionaire prime minister in November 2008.

However, Berlusconi has rubbished her claims.

And now after a year of failed negotiations between the estranged couple Lario has won the right to call witness before the court.

"Lario can summon women including D'Addario and Letizia to appear before the judge as witnesses. Both spouses can call witnesses and the latter are legally bound to come and testify," the Times quoted an insider as saying.