A court in Rome on Monday convicted a Vatican cardinal and the head of the city-state's radio station for electromagnetic pollution.

They were given 10-day suspended sentences, which they have appealed.

Cardinal Roberto Tucci, former head of Vatican Radio's management committee, and the Rev. Pasquale Borgomeo, the station's director general, were charged with "dangerous launching of objects," referring to the station's electromagnetic waves.

Cardinal Roberto Tucci. (AP File Photo)

Residents of the Rome suburb Cessano near the station complained they could hear Vatican Radio broadcasts through their lamps because of electromagnetic disturbances.

"It is a great success and a great victory for those people who have been suffering for years," said Lorenzo Parlati, head of the environmental group Legambiente for the Lazio Region, which was part of the civil suit. It claimed the waves were harming the health of those living nearby.

"A mother whose child died of leukemia shouted out of emotion when the verdict was read out," Parlati said.

The station's program director said he was "stunned" by the ruling from Judge Luisa Martoni.

"We contend that our transmission is in line with accords between Italy and the Vatican," Rev. Federico Lombardi said.

The court acquitted another Vatican Radio official, the head of technical services.

The matter has been to court before. A judge threw out the case in 2002, saying Vatican officials had immunity under a 1929 treaty between the Holy See and Italy that established the Vatican as an independent city-state. But Italy's Supreme Court later ruled the case could proceed.