Silvio Berlusconi was at the centre of further sordid revelations about his sex life on Saturday night after he was caught boasting about having sex with eight women in one night.
The Italian prime minister was recorded gloating about the encounters, and lamenting that he could not manage another three women.
The conversations were recorded as part of an investigation into an alleged prostitution ring surrounding Berlusconi.
They suggested for the first time that he gave money to the women he allegedly slept with, contradicting his repeated insistence that he has never paid for sex.
In revelations that are set to test Italian tolerance to the limit, the conversations also offered the strongest evidence yet that the billionaire used taxpayers' money and state-owned aircraft to fly alleged prostitutes around Italy.
The leaked recordings suggested that Berlusconi invited at least one alleged prostitute to accompany him from Rome to Milan on his plane.
Opposition leaders called for an inquiry to determine whether the prime minister abused his position in reportedly transporting Marysthell Polanco (pic below), 25, a glamour model from the Dominican Republic, and possibly other women.
In one conversation taped by investigators in early 2009, Berlusconi says: "Last night I had a queue outside my door, there were 11 of them.
"I only managed to do eight of them, I couldn't manage any more."
"You just can't get round to all of them. But this morning I feel great, I'm pleased with my stamina."
