Italian prosecutors sought Wednesday an immediate trial of Silvio Berlusconi over allegations he paid for sex with a 17-year-old girl then used his influence to try to cover it up.

Prosecutors in Milan released a statement saying they had requested a fast-track trial for the Italian prime minister, which dispenses with pre-trial hearings — a measure used when investigators believe their evidence is particularly compelling.

A Milan judge has five days to rule on the request before a trial can begin.

In Italy, it's illegal to pay for sex with a woman under the age of 18.

The allegations “are disgusting” and “groundless,” Berlusconi told a Rome press conference after the prosecutors’ announcement.

Berlusconi, who denies wrongdoing, is accused of paying an underage prostitute and of abusing his position to cover up his alleged crime.

In an investigation lasting more than eight months, police and prosecutors set out to show that the prime minister invited dozens of women, including prostitutes, to his mansion near Milan for dinners that degenerated into debauches, features sex game called bunga bunga.

Among his guests was a young Moroccan runaway, Karima el-Mahroug, who adopted the nickname "Ruby Heartstealer." The prosecutors maintain she was under 18 at the time, the minimum age for prostitution.

Berlusconi's lawyers are expected to argue that she is older than indicated on official documents.

And how are Berlusconi's sexcapades playing in Rome?