An Italian priest accused by police of possessing child pornography is under house arrest, his lawyer told AFP on Thursday, the second recent scandal to hit the northern Brescia diocese.

The 51-year-old priest was taken into custody last week, defence lawyer Paolo Inverardi told AFP, adding that a police investigation was ongoing.

The diocese said on Wednesday it had suspended the priest, while adding that minors within the parish were not involved.

AFP was not naming the priest while the police investigation into the allegation was ongoing.

?The charge he will be called to answer concerns the possession of child pornography, a crime prosecuted by the judicial authorities and also by the Church,? Adriano Bianchi, a spokesman for the diocese?s bishop, wrote in a statement.

?In no way are minors from the parish community involved, and there has been no inappropriate conduct on his part toward the people entrusted to him in pastoral care,? he said.

The statement added that ?any crime involving minors cannot in any way be underestimated, tolerated, and much less go unpunished, especially if it involves priests?.

The diocese, which said it was cooperating with authorities, said a canonical investigation, or official investigation by the Church, would be launched ?at the appropriate time?.

According to news reports, police found approximately 1,500 photos and videos of child pornography on the telephone of the clergyman, who served as parish priest in the town of Castelcovati, west of Brescia.

The arrest comes just a month after another priest within the diocese, Ciro Panigara, was arrested on suspicion of sexual abuse of minors.

In that case, the priest, 48, was accused of sexually assaulting children aged 10 to 12 in two parishes located between Milan and Verona.

In January, the bishop had announced to parishioners the sudden departure of Panigara, who had arrived just several months earlier.

In a letter seen by AFP the diocese cited ?serious situations (that) have arisen which require the immediate interruption of his experience? in the parish. (AFP)

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