Berlusconi given one year jail sentence A Milan court has sentenced Silvio Berlusconi to one year in jail in a case related to the publication of a confidential court document with the aim of undermining a political rival. Known as the Unipol case, it was the first of three trials involving Italy's former prime minister that are expected to reach a conclusion over the next two weeks, in a heightened period of political tension. Over the past week Mr Berlusconi and his centre-right supporters have repeatedly accused the judiciary of political bias in trying to influence the course of events as politicians seek to break the deadlock resulting from inconclusive elections. Responding to the Unipol verdict on Thursday, Daniele Capezzone, spokesman for their People of Liberty party, said to defend Mr Berlusconi was to defend democracy, the right to vote, and not to have the result reversed by acts of the judiciary. Mr Berlusconi is expected to appeal against his conviction, which does not have any impact on his eligibility to take his senate seat on March 15. Such cases rarely result in incarceration during the period of appeal. Mr Berlusconi also has immunity from arrest as a member of parliament. Italy is facing weeks of uncertainty over the shape of its next government after the centre-left Democrats narrowly won a majority in the lower house, but not in the senate. As politicians on all sides manoeuvre ahead of possible power-sharing negotiations, Mr Berlusconi will be awaiting the verdict in his trial on charges of paying for sex with an underage prostitute, which he denies. The court may reach a decision on March 18. On March 23, Mr Berlusconi may also learn the outcome of his appeal against his conviction last October for tax fraud, a case that directly led to Mr Berlusconi's decision then to run again as prime minister and to challenge the authority of Mario Monti, who replaced him in late 2011. Last week Mr Berlusconi was also placed under investigation on suspicion of bribing a senator to help bring down the last centre-left government in 2008. Mr Berlusconi has denied the charges. Senior figures in the Democratic party are arguing against a possible coalition deal with Mr Berlusconi on the basis of his court cases. The conviction on Thursday related to the publication, by the Milan newspaper Il Giornale, of a transcript of a wiretapped conversation between a senior leftwing politician and a banker in 2005 over the failed attempt by the Unipol financial services company to take over Banca Nazionale del Lavoro. The conversation was bugged by prosecutors investigating the attempted takeover, and a transcript was obtained by Il Giornale, which is part of the Berlusconi family media empire. Paolo Berlusconi, brother of the former prime minister and publisher of the newspaper, was convicted on the same charge and sentenced to two years and three months in prison. Piero Fassino, the leftwing politician cited in the transcript, was awarded €80,000 in damages. Italian newspapers regularly flout the law in publishing leaked transcripts of prosecutors" wiretaps, but are rarely brought to brook. "It is the triumph of judicial hypocrisy," commented Enrico Costa, a centre-right MP, accusing the courts of picking on Mr Berlusconi.