Sam Kerr’s Attempt to Avoid Trial on Racial Harassment Charge Denied
The footballer, who has played for Australia and English team Chelsea, has been charged in Britain over remarks she allegedly made to a police officer.
Matildas captain and Chelsea striker Sam Kerr has failed to have charges against her dropped after she faced court in London charged with “causing a police officer harassment, alarm or distress.”
The charge resulted from an incident that occurred in Twickenham, south-west London, on Jan. 30, 2023, following a night out with her fiancee Kristie Mewis.
At about 3 a.m. that morning, Kerr allegedly vomited in a taxi and was involved in a dispute about the taxi fare.
Police claim that she called an attending officer, P.C. Lovell, a “stupid white bastard,” though her legal team subsequently told media they would argue that she in fact said “stupid white cop.”
She was subsequently detained and spent time in a holding cell.
When she appeared by video link in the Kingston Crown Court in March last year, she entered a plea of not guilty. Her lawyers sought CCTV footage from the street and police station, as well as police body cam footage.
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Judge Judith Elaine Coello said at the time that she understood Kerr’s defence would be that she did not intend to alarm, harass, or distress the police officer and that her behaviour was not racially motivated.
Bid to Dismiss Charges Fails
Today, Kerr’s legal team unsuccessfully tried to have the charges dismissed by arguing an abuse of process by Crown prosecutors, citing the fact it took a year for her to be formally charged.
The trial is scheduled for Feb. 3 and is expected to take multiple days and hear evidence from two police officers, but Kerr is not obligated to attend.
Emma Hayes, the Chelsea Women’s team manager, said at the time of her arrest that Kerr had the club’s “full support,” while Football Australia Chief Executive James Johnson said they had not been told of the event.
Chelsea subsequently offered a two-year contract extension, which Kerr signed in June.
Kerr could also face disciplinary action from England’s Football Association over the alleged incident. It has a strict code of conduct that says players must “never engage in offensive, insulting, or abusive language or behaviour.” Possible penalties include suspension and fines.
The 2018 Young Australian of the Year has not played for more than 12 months after suffering a serious knee injury last January but joined her teammates at their mid-season training camp in Portugal earlier this month.
She is Australia’s all-time leading scorer in international football, with 69 goals from 128 games, and led the Matildas to the semifinals of last summer’s Women’s World Cup.
Kerr has helped Chelsea win the Women’s Super League title in each of her four seasons at the club so far and has also played club football in Australia and the United States.
