The former head of the IMF has told a court in France that he only attended 12 sex parties in three years.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn is appearing in court in the northern city of Lille facing charges of 'aggravated pimping', and faces ten years in jail if convicted.

The 65-year-old says he did not know the women at the parties were prostitutes, and denies the charge of pimping. He has said he rarely attended the parties.

Mr Strauss-Kahn is accused of helping procure sex workers for a prostitution ring based at a hotel in Lille.

It is the latest sexual allegation to hit Mr Strauss-Kahn, who stepped down from the IMF after being accused of attempted rape by a hotel maid in New York in 2011.

Mr Strauss-Kahn confronted by topless protesters outside a courthouse in France before taking the stand at the trial.

The economist was ambushed as his car approached the building, with FEMEN activists climbing on to the roof and shouting insults.

Many of the women had "guilty" scrawled on their half-naked bodies, amid allegations that Strauss-Kahn was involved in a prostitution ring.

Police handcuffed the demonstrators and forcibly removed them from the scene, throwing coats over the women's exposed chests.

Strauss-Kahn faces 10 years behind bars and a fine of around €1.5m if he is found guilty of organising prostitutes to attend sex parties with him in luxury hotels around the world.

The one-time presidential hopeful is expected to say that engaging in orgies with consenting adults is within his rights, and that he was unaware that the women giving him attention were prostitutes.

Irish Times correspondent in France Lara Marlowe spoke to the Pat Kenny Show about what has been happening in court:

Originally posted at 11.20am