The technician, Claudio Sciarpelletti, was found guilty of aiding and abetting Pope Benedict XVI's personal assistant, Paolo Gabriele, in the theft of confidential papal documents which were then leaked to a journalist.

The Vatican court originally gave Sciarpelletti a four-month sentence, but the term was reduced due to extenuating circumstances.

Sciarpelletti, 48, was arrested after an anonymous tip led to a search of his desk. An envelope was found addressed to Gabriele containing copies of documents that had been leaked to the Italian media

Sciarpelletti's lawyer argued that his client was in an "emotional state" when he gave confused and contradictory testimony to investigators, leading to the charges levelled against him.

However Judge Giuseppe Dalla Torre said the court concluded Sciarpelletti helped Gabriele "elude the investigations of the authorities" at the Vatican.

In a separate trial in October, Gabriele was given an 18-month prison sentence, which he is serving in a Vatican police cell.

Meanwhile, sources close to Gabriele's family have indicated that the committee of cardinals the Pope charged with investigating the Vatileaks case have recommended a papal pardon for him.

Earlier, after Gabriele wrote a letter of apology to Benedict XVI, the Pope sent him an autographed book of psalms.

Sources:

ANSA

Catholic News Agency

Image: Ultimahora.com

The claim comes from the Papal Butler, Paolo Gabriele, who recently parted ways with his lawyer, and who has been charged with aggravated thief and is likely to be tried for his part in Vatileaks scandal at the Vatican next month.

Despite widespread belief and Vatican denials that Gabriele is the scapegoat for a larger group, up until now only one other person has also been charged, Claudio Sciarpelletti, a 48 year old Vatican computer expert.

The Independent reports Gabriele has now admitted he collaborated in Vatileaks with 20 other people "who, like me, want to contribute to transparency".

Gabriele claims he acted out of love for the church. But in his TV interview he also said the growing gap between Vatican hawks and reformers had created an atmosphere in which people were afraid to speak out.

"The Pope wants to clean up, but he is having difficulties," said Gabriele.

And adding to the intrigue, he said: "Ours is a state (Vatican City) where you can get in, kill and leave undisturbed, and after 24 hours no one can say what happened."

Vatican prosecutor Nicola Picardi has dismissed claims of a major conspiracy or conflict between power brokers behind Vatican walls. In his indictment against Mr Gabriele he claimed the former butler was erroneously "seeing evil and corruption everywhere".

If convicted Gabriele faces six years in prison.

Sciarpelletti has been charged with aiding and abetting Gabriele.

Sources

• The Independent
• Huffington Post
• Irish Independent
• Image: Spiegel