LONDON — Sam Kerr, the Chelsea striker and captain of Australia’s national team, addressed allegations during her trial on Thursday concerning claims of racially aggravated harassment. She asserted that her comment labeling a police officer as “white” was not intended as an insult. This trial marks the fourth day of proceedings at Kingston Crown Court, following an incident that occurred on January 30, 2023, in London.
The incident arose after Kerr and her partner, Kristie Mewis, who plays for West Ham, were reportedly out drinking and returned home via taxi. The driver had claimed they refused to cover clean-up costs after one of them had become ill. Furthermore, it was alleged that damages resulted from one of them breaking a rear window of the taxi. Kerr described feeling confined and fearing for her safety during this taxi journey.
Once at the police station, Kerr is accused of verbally abusing police constable Stephen Lovell, directing insults at him by calling him “stupid” and “white.” While Kerr acknowledged having made these remarks, she firmly contests that they constitute the charges brought against her. When questioned by prosecutors about whether her depiction of Lovell’s “whiteness” was meant as an insult, Kerr firmly stated, “No, that’s not what I meant.”
Kerr explained that her comments stemmed from a perception that Lovell was leveraging his power against her due to the accusation made against her. She expressed that the behavior of the officers was dismissive, suggesting they could not grasp the gravity of what she and Mewis were experiencing at that moment.
When further asked if her remarks implied that Lovell was “stupid because he was white,” Kerr replied again, saying, “No.” In earlier testimonies, Kerr commented that the situation felt “racial” and suggested that she was being treated differently based on perceptions of her race, particularly highlighting her experience with police constable Lovell.
Kerr elaborated on Thursday that the differences in treatment between her and Mewis contributed to her feelings during the incident, perceiving she was being perceived differently due to her race. The trial remains ongoing as the court evaluates the presented testimonies and evidence.
