意大利最具影响力的新闻周刊《L'espresso》20日在网站上公布了一段录音，详细披露了意大利总理贝卢斯科尼与“高级三陪女郎”帕特里齐亚•达达里奥之间的一夜激情后的对话。这段录音是42岁的达达里奥与72岁的贝卢斯科尼在其府邸过夜后录制的，在录音中可以听到达达里奥称赞贝卢斯科尼“表现不错”等内容。录音曝光后，贝卢斯科尼并不否认达达里奥曾造访他的住所，但是他严辞驳斥了花钱招募三陪女郎这一说法。他的律师尼科洛•盖迪尼则发表声明质疑录音真实性，认为这份录音是“捏造出来的”。

A tape of a sexually explicit¹ conversation purported² to be between Silvio Berlusconi and a call girl has been released.

The recordings³ were made by Patrizia D'Addario, 42, a high class escort girl, after she spent the night at 72-year-old Italian prime minister's official residence following a party.

In an explicit conversation Ms D'Addario is heard praising Mr Berlusconi for his 'performance' and he appears to reply that she should have "sex with yourself more often".

Political insiders said the graphic⁴ nature of the tapes, if true, could prove fatal in Mr Berlusconi's close relationship with the Vatican and almost certainly ruled out an audience with the Pope before the Parliament resumes in October.

Once again the tapes, the third set, were published on the website of left leaning Italian news magazine L'Espresso and picked up by other news websites.

They were made available just hours after the media billionaire spoke⁵ for the first time about the sex scandal and said: "I am no saint."

Mr Berlusconi has not denied that Ms D'Addario went to his official residence but claims he "cannot remember her" and that he would not pay for sex "because it does not involve the thrill of conquest".

The transcripts⁷ were published under the headline "Sex and the Silvio" and the website promised more revelations when the magazine comes out on Friday.

The transcript⁶ included this purported exchange:

D: A young man would have come in a second. I mean he would have come... Young men usually have a lot of pressure.

B: But if you will you allow me... (muffled) I believe it is a family thing.

D: What?

B: Having an orgasm.

D: You know how long it has been since I had sex like I had with you tonight. It's several months, since I broke with my boyfriend. Is this normal?

B: May I? You should have sex with yourself. You should touch yourself often.

Earlier this week other recordings were released which included Mr Berlusconi asking Ms D'Addario to wait for him by "the big Putin bed" while in another she is warned that he does not like to wear a condom during sex.

Mr Berlusconi's lawyer, Niccolo Ghedini, said the recordings were "without any merit, completely improbable and the fruit of invention".

A spokesman for the prime minister's People of Freedom party, said the posting was "pathetic". He added: "Despite many efforts, the bubble of gossip and mud-slinging against Silvio Berlusconi and the government has already deflated⁸.

"All that's left is this pathetic attempt to give new life to a journalistic campaign that's already dead," he said, adding that the journalists involved were "evidently in need of a holiday".

Details of the parties Berlusconi held for young women emerged as the result of a corruption⁹ probe involving Giampaolo Tarantini, from Bari, who is being investigated over the supply of false limbs to various hospitals.

As part of the probe magistrates¹⁰ listened in to conversations – as is usual during investigations¹¹ – and heard Tarantini discussing girls for Berlusconi's parties with friends.

It is common for transcripts and excerpts¹² of investigations to be printed in Italian newspapers or broadcast on TV and radio.

In a separate development La Repubblica has announced it was taking legal action against Mr Berlusconi for defamation¹³, abuse of office and violation¹⁴ of legislation covering marketing¹⁵.

It came after comments made last month by Berlusconi in which he appealed to businesses not to advertise in La Repubblica as it was clear they were running a "campaign" against him.

Berlusconi has been involved in a three month long sleaze scandal which began in April when it emerged he had attended the 18th birthday party of wannabe model Noemi Letizia, giving her a 6000 euro gold and diamond necklace.

Following the revelations his Long suffering wife Veronica Lario, 53, announced that she was divorcing him because he was "frequenting minors¹⁶" and that he was "ill".

A month later it emerged that an Italian photographer had taken 5000 photographs of parties at Villa¹⁷ Certosa including a shot of topless women cavorting¹⁸ by a jacuzzi.