Pope's Butler Abuse: Vatican Orders Probe Of Police For Treatment Of Paolo Gabriele After Arrest

Vatican Orders Probe Of Police For Abuse Of Butler After Arrest
Pope Benedict XVI (C) stands in his Popemobile with his butler Paolo Gabriele (bottom R) upon his arrival for a weekly general audience on April 25, 2012 at St Peter's square at The Vatican. Vatican's powerful number two, Secretary of state Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, on june 4, 2012 spoke out for the first time on the continued leaks of Holy See secret documents, denouncing them as a 'ferocious, biting and organised' attack on the pope. Gabriele, who has worked at the Vatican since 2006 and was one of a select few with access to the pope's private quarters, was arrested on May 25, 2012. AFP PHOTO / ALBERTO PIZZOLI (Photo credit should read ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/GettyImages)
Pope Benedict XVI (C) stands in his Popemobile with his butler Paolo Gabriele (bottom R) upon his arrival for a weekly general audience on April 25, 2012 at St Peter's square at The Vatican. Vatican's powerful number two, Secretary of state Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, on june 4, 2012 spoke out for the first time on the continued leaks of Holy See secret documents, denouncing them as a 'ferocious, biting and organised' attack on the pope. Gabriele, who has worked at the Vatican since 2006 and was one of a select few with access to the pope's private quarters, was arrested on May 25, 2012. AFP PHOTO / ALBERTO PIZZOLI (Photo credit should read ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/GettyImages)

VATICAN CITY, Oct 2 (Reuters) - A Vatican judge on Tuesday ordered an investigation of the Holy See's police force after Pope Benedict's former butler said he was held in a tiny room with the light on constantly for the first few weeks of his detention.

The judge ordered the investigation after Paolo Gabriele and his lawyer made the assertions on the second day of the trial where he is accused of aggravated theft.

Gabriele, who is on trial for stealing papal documents alleging corruption in the Vatican and leaking them to the media, said he did not have any direct accomplices but was influenced by others and by widespread malaise in the Vatican.

(Reporting By Philip Pullella and Naomi O'Leary)

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