CHEF BATALI ACQUITTED OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT

Mario Batali was found not guilty of indecent assault and battery on Tuesday, following a swift trial in which the celebrity chef waived his right to have a jury decide his fate.

The 61-year-old former Food Network personality quickly strode out of the courtroom with his lawyers without commenting on the case, which centered on allegations that he aggressively kissed and groped a Boston woman while taking a selfie at a bar in 2017.

In delivering the verdict, Boston Municipal Court Judge James Stanton agreed with Batali’s lawyers that the accuser had credibility issues and that photos suggested the encounter was amicable.

But the judge also had stern words for the former star of shows like “Molto Mario” and “Iron Chef America,” who prosecutors argued was visibly drunk in the photos.

“The defendant did not cover himself in glory on the night in question,” he said. “His conduct, his appearance and his demeanor were not befitting of a public person of his stature at that time.”

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said he was disappointed in the verdict but grateful Batali’s accuser had come forward.