Matildas star Sam Kerr facedin London yesterday after being charged with racially aggravated abuse of a police officer in January 2023. The 31-year-old has denied any wrongdoing, pleading not guilty to a charge of racially aggravated harassment.
The incident
A night of celebration ended inand her partner Kristie Mewis crawling out of the broken back window of a taxi following an argument over compensation for vomit in the vehicle.
The cab driver called the police, and instead of taking Kerr and Mewis to their home address, he drove to Twickenham police station as advised by the police phone operator.
At the time, Kerr told officers she and Mewis feared they were being kidnapped after the driver refused to let them out of his cab and proceeded to break the rear window.
Kerr was recorded twice calling police constable Stephen Lovell “f—ing stupid and white,” and insisting on going to court rather than pay for the window, leading to her being arrested.
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What they said
Kerr’s lawyer, Grace Forbes said: “Sam Kerr did not feel hostility to the officer because he is white. The words were a comment… about positions of power, about privilege and about how those things might colour perception.”
What’s next?
The maximum penalty for racially aggravated abuse is 26 weeks in jail under UK law. The trial will resume today and is expected to finish this week.
Kerr is under contract at Chelsea Football Club in theWomen’s Super League. She is currently rehabilitating from a knee injury that occurred in January 2024 and is expected to return to the field within the next few months.
