Berlusconi -- A wounded Prime Minister in numbers

Ah Silvio... we just can't get enough of your crazy antics. You're one of the most mantastic men in existence, and you have your photograph taken in front of pictures of naked women. Oh, and you're a billionaire. Nice.

We've not got a lot to say on a political standpoint (who are we to judge, eh Silvio?) but we respect the man for his sheer cheekiness and balls-out manliness. Who knows, Gordon Brown might be a lot more popular if a few saucy allegations were flying around.

But recently there was bad news in Camp Berlusconi after he was attacked in the street. Spurred on by this new interest in the great man, we're offering you the digested statistics of Silvio, just so you know what's what. Check them out after the jump.

1 – the number of times Berlusconi has collapsed due to heart trouble at a political rally (2006).

2 – the number of physical assaults he's endured by strangers while in office. The first was in December 2004, when a 28-year old bricklayer lobbed a camera tripod at his head while shouting "(I did it) because I hate him". He later apologised saying he was in a "deplorable euphoria" at the time in question. The second incident was on the 13th December 2009, when a man threw a miniature replica of Milan cathedral at his face.

2 – the number of times Patrizia D'Addario, a 42-year old escort, says she was hired by a friend of Berlusconi's to spend the evening with him, for the price of €2000 a night.

3 – the number of "shamelessly trashy" starlets (his wife's words, not ours) he put forward as candidates to be MEPs in May 2009.

3 – the number of national television channels his main company, Mediaset, broadcasts on, transmitting to nearly 50% of Italy's TV audience.

4 – the number of times Berlusconi has been sworn in as Prime Minister of Italy, for three distinct terms of office, in May 1994, June 2001 and May 2008. The other time came after he replaced his cabinet. Altogether, this makes him the longest serving leader of any European country.

6 – the number of times he's been put on trial for corruption charges.

72 – the number of years he's been alive. In a row!

577 – the number of visits by the police he's claimed he has had up to June 2008.

789 – According to the man himself, the number of prosecutors and magistrates that took an interest in him from 1994 to 2006 'with the aim of subverting the votes of the Italian people'.

2,500 – the number of court visits he's supposed to have made up to June 2008.

155 million – how much in pounds sterling he's meant to have paid out in lawyer's fees.

671 million – how much in pounds sterling his financial holding company, Fininvest, had to pay out in damages to a rival company over allegations they bribed a judge in a long-running company takeover.

5,542 billion – the net revenue in pounds sterling of Fininvest in 2005.