TWO Tube workers have been cleared of racially harassing a colleague with JELLY BABIES.
A jury took just one hour to acquit Carlo Rozza, 45, and Victor Cooney, 47, at the end of a farcical eight-day trial that cost £250,000.
They had denied taunting black colleague Daniel Jean-Marie with black Jelly Babies.
Victor Cooney said the strain had nearly destroyed his marriage and relationship with his children.
He said: “The trial has been a complete farce. The whole thing has been a disgrace. We’ve had this hanging over us for 2½ years — and during that time my life has been wasted.
“I screwed up my marriage by not paying enough attention to my wife. Thankfully we are still together.”
Station manager Mr Cooney — who has a daughter of 13 and an 11-year-old son — went on: “I’ve also missed a lot of time with my children, all in a row over Jelly Babies.
“The verdict is a victory for common sense. This sort of trial should not have taken place. It’s a waste of taxpayers’ money.”
Mr Cooney and Carlo Rozza were charged with racial harassment following a complaint by black colleague Daniel Jean-Marie, who is in his 20s.
He claimed the pair taunted him with black Jelly Babies — and were biting the heads off them.
Both men were suspended. Mr Cooney returned to work after three months and Mr Rozza after eight months. They were cleared by an internal probe.
And a jury took just an hour to find both not guilty at Middlesex Guildhall Crown Court in central London after an eight-day trial costing £250,000.
After the pair were suspended in February 2004, Mr Jean-Marie went off work claiming stress from the case. He only returned to duties at a different station in March this year.
The court heard all three had been at Caledonian Road station, North London, in January 2004.
In a statement to the hearing, Mr Cooney said: “One time I gave Daniel a bag of Jelly Babies and he called me a racist because there were too many black ones.”
When asked by a police officer if he had made comments or jokes about the sweets, he replied: “No.”
Mr Cooney, of Southgate, North London, added: “I made no reference to cutting Jelly Babies’ heads off.”
Mr Rozza told the jury he walked into a staff room to find Mr Cooney and Mr Jean-Marie, of Barking, East London, chatting.
He said: “I think they were joking about Jelly Babies. I asked Vic for a Jelly Baby. I asked him for black Jelly Babies.
“Mr Jean-Marie became angry and stormed out of the room.” Last night there was fury over why the case was brought.
Tory MP Mike Penning said: “We are desperate for police on our streets. But if taxpayers’ cash is wasted on ridiculous cases like this how can we afford it?”
Retired Detective Superintendent and murder squad boss John Jones said: “There is so much crime that to waste police time like this is outrageous.”
