Almost four years after his arrest in New York on allegations of rape, former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn is due back in court today (Monday Feb 2).

He’s facing charges of aggravated procuring for the purposes of prostitution – commonly known as pimping.

The case which has become known as the Carlton Affair concerns so-called sex parties and a prostitution ring centered around the Carlton Hotel in the northern French city of Lille.

If found guilty the one-time French finance minister could face up to 10 years in jail and a 1.5 million euro fine.

The trial is going ahead despite the recommendation of a public prosecutor that the inquiry be dropped.

There are 13 other co-defendants in the case.

The trial is being viewed as a test of French tolerance for sexual and moral misconduct in the private lives of public figures.