Aussie Women’s Soccer Captain Accused of Racially Harassing UK Police Officer
A spokesperson from the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that Kerr has entered a plea of not guilty, and a trial date has been scheduled for Feb. 1, 2025.
The UK Metropolitan Police have brought charges against Australian women’s football star Sam Kerr for allegedly engaging in racially aggravated harassment of a police officer in West London last year.
A spokesperson from the Metropolitan Police stated that Kerr has been charged with a racially aggravated offense under Section 4A of the Public Order Act 1986. The charge stems from an incident involving a police officer responding to a complaint about a taxi fare on January 30, 2023, in Twickenham.
Ms. Kerr attended a trial preparation hearing at Kingston upon Thames Crown Court on Monday morning after being summoned on Jan. 21 of this year.
According to a representative from the Crown Prosecution Service, the captain of The Matildas pleaded not guilty, with a trial date set for Feb. 1, 2025, at Wimbledon Magistrates Court.
Football Australia acknowledged the legal proceedings but refrained from further comment due to the ongoing nature of the matter. The focus remains on supporting all players, both on and off the field, with continued monitoring of the situation and provision of appropriate support as needed.
Kerr’s manager based in Australia, PR expert Niki White, declined to provide a comment regarding the charge and subsequent not-guilty plea.
Recognized early in her career for her potential, Kerr began playing at 15 for Perth Glory in 2008, earning a full international cap the next season. In 2013, she transferred to Sydney FC before launching her career in Europe.
She was part of the squad at the 2011 and 2015 FIFA World Cups and served as captain in the 2019 tournament, where she became the first Australian to record a World Cup hat-trick.
In 2018, she was named Young Australian of the Year as part of the 2018 Australia Day Honours and received a Medal of the Order of Australia for her contributions to football in the 2022 Honours.
In 2021, she led Australia to a fourth-place finish at the delayed 2020 Olympics.
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Kerr played a key role in last year’s World Cup, where The Matildas had a remarkable run to the semi-finals buoyed by the support of the home nation, only to be eliminated by England’s Lionesses in a 3-1 loss.
Kerr has also received the Golden Boot in the W-League, the NWSL in the United States, and in European competitions. Her time at Chelsea has seen her clinch four WSL titles, three FA Cups, two Women’s League Cups, and the Women’s Community Shield.
Since sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the beginning of 2024 during a training incident in Morocco, Kerr has been sidelined and is expected to miss the Paris Olympics this year.
The Sam Kerr Football Centre, located in Queens Park, Western Australia, was officially renamed in October 2023 in honor of the football star.
