Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been cleared of corruption after a four-year trial. Berlusconi had been accused of bribing judges in the 1980s to favour his business interests.

He was acquitted on one count -on the other judges in Milan ruled that the alleged offence happened too long ago for charges to be pressed. Berlusconi, who was not in court for the verdict, said the decision was "better late than never". He is the first serving Italian prime minister to have been tried in a criminal court.

He accuses judges of conducting a politically-motivated witch-hunt against him. The accusations had related to the billionaire's business activities before he entered politics, when he made a fortune in property and television.

Berlusconi, 68, was acquitted of a charge that he had bribed judges in connection with the sale in the 1^805 ol the SME state food :cbn-gjomerate.

The panel of three judges ruled that the second charge - dating back to 1991 - had lapsed under Italy's statute of limitations, which was halved in this case from its usual 15-ycar period.

The defence team said it would appeal on the second ruling, saying it wanted a clear verdict of innocence.

An opposition politician and former top anti-corruption magistrate said the lack of a firm acquittal on the second charge meant Berlusconi did not have the moral stature to be prime minister.

"The statute of limitations is not a declaration of innocence but it presumes guilt," said Antonio di Pietro.

One of Berlusconi's lawyers, Niccolo Ghedini, said: "It’s a verdict which is largely satisfactory, which brings to an end a 10-year case which has been shown to be substantially useless."

The BBC's David Willey in Rome says that although acquittal through the statute of limitations is not the same as a not guilty verdict, Berlusconi's unbounded political confidence is unlikely to be shaken.

State prosecutors had demanded an eight-year jail term, had Berlusconi been found guilty.

Nt^ wbbK Berlu^cOni is-’due to visit Washington for talks with US President George W Bush, a close ally.

Berlusconi only attended court three times during the four-year legal process, saying his responsibilities as prime minister left him no time.