A Vatican court has sentenced priest Carlo Alberto Capella to five years in jail for possessing child pornography while he was based in Washington, D.C. as a diplomat.

During his two-day trial, Capella admitted he had developed a 'morbid' desire after he arrived in the United States in 2016.

The US State Department says it alerted the Vatican, in August 2017, that a member of their embassy in Washington was possibly breaking child pornography laws.

But Capella was not charged at that time because of diplomatic immunity, which the Vatican then refused to waive.

Shortly after, Capella was recalled to Rome where he was later charged.

Capella will serve time in a small jail inside the Vatican police force headquarters.