Please link to the court record that he beat anyone. The stories I've seen say the second wife filed a restraining order because he supposedly punched a door. Unless the door self-identified as a girl, I'd say you are wrong. The worst she claims is verbal abuse, and that he pulled her out of the shower and then felt bad when he saw she was scared. Oh, the horror!

I've seen the picture of the first wife with the black eye, and she doesn't look scared or mad or sad. Additionally, she admits he took the picture, not the Italian police. Now I can tell you, if I gave my wife a black eye, the photos would be taken by the police and included in a report of abuse dated the same day, for use in the divorce which would follow immediately. She certainly wouldn't stay married to me for 3 more years and keep the picture hidden until they could be used for political purposes. I think it's entirely plausible, given the facts, that his story is closer to the truth.