Australia soccer player Sam Kerr not guilty of racially abusing UK police officer
Soccer Football - Chelsea and Australia football player Sam Kerr on trial for racially aggravated harassment - Kingston Crown Court, London, Britain - February 11, 2025 Sam Kerr arrives at the court during her trial REUTERS/Toby Melville
LONDON: Australia women's soccer captain Sam Kerr was on Tuesday (Feb 11) found not guilty of racially abusing a British police officer after a dispute with a cab driver.
Kerr, who has Indian ancestry, called officer Stephen Lovell "stupid and white" after police were called following a drunken dispute with a cab driver in the early hours of Jan 30, 2023.
The 31-year-old, one of the world's top female strikers who plays for Chelsea in the Women's Super League, accepted saying those words but denied one count of racially aggravated harassment.
Her lawyer argued she was making a comment about power and privilege, and Kerr gave evidence last week that she felt police treated her differently because of the colour of her skin.
Kerr was acquitted by a jury following a trial at Kingston Crown Court. She showed no emotion as the verdict was delivered, as her partner Kristie Mewis cried in the public gallery.
Kerr gave a thumbs up to her lawyer Grace Forbes before leaving the dock.
Forbes said she would apply for costs, to which Judge Peter Lodder said: "I take the view that her own behaviour contributed significantly to the bringing of this allegation ... that has a significant bearing on the question of costs."
"STUPID AND WHITE"
Kerr's trial focused on the aftermath of a night out which ended with Kerr and Mewis, who plays for West Ham United, hailing a London black cab to Kerr's home.
The driver took them to a police station instead, with Kerr giving evidence that the driver began behaving erratically after she felt ill and spat out of the window.
Both Kerr and Mewis said they believed they were being held hostage, with Mewis kicking in the cab's rear window in a bid to escape shortly before they arrived at the police station.
Towards the end of a long conversation between Kerr, Mewis, Lovell and two other officers, Kerr said: "You guys are fucking stupid and white."
Lovell gave evidence that he was upset by the remark and denied an allegation by Kerr's lawyer Grace Forbes that he had claimed to be upset simply to secure a criminal charge.
Kerr, however, said she had felt "terrified for my life" during the cab journey and that police did not take her concerns seriously.
