Vatican worker denies aiding butler

A Vatican computer worker has denied helping the Pope’s butler to leak confidential documents to the media.

Claudio Sciarpelletti’s lawyer insisted he had little motive to risk his 20 years in the job.

Sciarpelletti is accused of aiding Paolo Gabriele in the theft of papal correspondence and other documents from the Pope’s apartment.

His lawyer Gianluca Benedetti told the trial in the Vatican that the two were not great friends and that Sciarpelletti would be unlikely to help a person he had no special relationship with.

Gabriele, who is serving an 18-month-sentence after admitting taking the papers, had been due to testify about their relationship, but neither he nor other witnesses, including a Swiss Guard commander, were called.

The hearing was adjourned to Saturday to give the defence more time to prepare.