Italy's former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been convicted and sentenced to a year in jail over an illegal wiretap.
He was accused of arranging for a police wiretap concerning a political rival to be leaked and published in a newspaper run by his brother.
Mr Berlusconi is likely to appeal and will remain free in the meantime.
He is presently appealing against another conviction and faces two more verdicts in the coming weeks.
One of the rulings expected later this month is about tax fraud, and the other trial concerns allegations the he paid for sex with an underage prostitute.
The BBC's Alan Johnston in Rome says there is no real prospect of Mr Berlusconi going to jail, but the conviction is another very serious blow to his reputation.
It comes weeks after his right-wing coalition did better than expected in a general election, and is expected to form a major bloc in the next parliament.
