Pope's butler to be jailed Thursday, Vatican says pardon possible

VATICAN CITY (AFP) - Pope Benedict XVI's butler was to be imprisoned in a Vatican police cell on Thursday after the prosecution decided not to appeal against his 18-month prison sentence for leaking papal documents, the Vatican said.

Mr Gabriele, 46, married with three children and a Vatican citizen, had been under house arrest since he was found guilty on Oct 6 of stealing documents from the pope's apartments. A judicial source said later he would not be appealing against the verdict.

"Given that no appeals have been lodged against the sentence of Oct 6 in respect of Mr Paolo Gabriele, it becomes definitive,", a statement from Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Holy See press office, said.

"As a result, on the warrant of the president of the court the prosecutor gave orders this morning for his imprisonment, in carrying out the sentence," the statement said.