Pope Ex-butler Paolo Gabriele Jailed for Theft

Pope Benedict's ex-butler Paolo Gabriele has been found guilty of stealing confidential papers and sentenced to 18 months in jail.

Prosecutors had called for a three-year sentence but it was reduced because of "mitigating circumstances".
Speaking before the verdict, he said he acted out of love for the Church and did not see himself as a thief.
Gabriele had denied the theft charge but admitted photocopying documents and "betraying the Holy Father's trust".

Defence lawyers had asked for the charge to be reduced.

Paolo Gabriele was accused of stealing and copying the Pope's documents and leaking them to an Italian journalist.

The BBC's David Willey in Rome says official Vatican media have almost totally ignored the trial since it began and morning radio bulletins have omitted to mention the story.

 The verdict was delivered after a deliberation of at least an hour by judges.

Presiding judge Guiseppe Dalla Torre gave a verdict of three years but then cut it to a year-and-a-half on the grounds of lack of a criminal record, his apology to the Pope and past services rendered to the Church.

The verdict brings to an end a week-long trial that has revealed an embarrassing breach of security at the highest levels of the Vatican.


Source: BBC