Pope Benedict's former butler appears in a Vatican courtroom, on trial for using his intimate access to the pope's desk to steal and leak explosive documents in what he said was an attempt to clean up corruption in the Vatican.
Paolo Gabriele, who served the pope his meals and helped him dress, was being tried along with a Vatican computer expert in the city state's little-used tribunal.
Gabriele was arrested in May after police found confidential documents in his apartment inside the Vatican, throwing a global media spotlight on an institution battling to defend its reputation from allegations of graft.
The self-styled whistle-blower, who says he was trying to expose graft at the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, is charged with aggravated theft for stealing and leaking the pontiff's personal papers, and could be jailed for four years.
The case has been adjourned until October 2.
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