In Britain the two suspects in Stephen Lawrence murder investigation were today found guilty of carrying out a racist attack on an off-duty black police officer.
The Crown alleged that David Norris, a passenger in a car driven by co-defendant Neil Acourt, shouted "nigger" and threw a container of McDonald's drink while Acourt drove the vehicle towards Detective Constable Gareth Reid.
Norris (25) of Benningfield Court, Chislehurst, Kent, and Acourt (27) of Dutton Street, Greenwich, south east London, deny racially aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress.
Det Con Reid, also from south east London, told Woolwich Crown Court he had heard the racist comment come from the car as he crossed Well Hall Road in Eltham, south east London, on May 11th, last year.
He was on his way home from work and not in uniform at the time.
The officer said he recognised the driver and passenger as suspects from the Lawrence investigation, although initially he thought Jamie Acourt, Neil's brother - who was also a Lawrence suspect - was driving.
Norris denied he was racist and denied shouting the word "nigger" at Det Con Reid.
He said he threw the drink but said he had just "flipped" because of the way the detective was staring at him.
Norris said this "moment of madness" was brought on by nine years of persecution following the Lawrence investigation, and not because Det Con Reid was black.
PA