Pope's Butler Paolo Gabriele Sentenced To 18 Months Detention

Pope Benedict's former butler Paolo Gabriele has been sentenced to 18 months in imprisonment after being found guilty of stealing confidential papers from the leader of the Catholic Church.

Prosecutors were seeking a three year jail term but the Vatican City criminal court reduced the sentence to 18 months because Gabriele had no prior convictions.

Gabriele has earlier admitted "betraying the Holy Father's trust" by photocopying documents from the Pope's desk and leaking them to journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi to save his church from what he termed "corruption and evil".

Nuzzi used the documents to write a book called "His Holiness" which alleged scandals and infighting within the Vatican.

Gabriele's lawyer Cristiana Arru was quoted by Reuters as saying she would not appeal the verdict, and he would serve his sentence under house arrest as the Vatican has no prison, while awaiting an expected papal pardon.