Pope Benedict XVI's former butler Paolo Gabriele
The court trying the Pope's former butler on charges of aggravated theft ruled on Saturday the results of a sensitive separate investigation carried out by cardinals for the pope will not be admitted as trial evidence.
At the first hearing of the long-awaiting trial of Gabriele, charged with stealing and leaking sensitive papal documents alleging corruption in the Vatican, the court rejected a defence request to include the cardinals' probe.
It ruled that the trial will be based only on an investigation by a Vatican prosecutor and Vatican police.
Gabriele, wearing a light grey suit and looking pale but smiling often, did not speak at the first session. He is expected to testify when the trial resumes on October 2. – Reuters