Chelsea star Sam Kerr cleared of racial harassment allegations.
Chelsea striker Sam Kerr has been found not guilty of racially aggravated harassment after a jury at Kingston Crown Court cleared her of the charge following four hours of deliberation.
The case stemmed from an incident in Twickenham, south-west London, on January 30, 2023, where Kerr, 31, was accused of causing racial harassment by calling Metropolitan Police officer PC Stephen Lovell “stupid and white.” While she did not deny using the words, she maintained that they did not constitute a racial offence.
Kerr stated she felt “antagonised” by officers after being taken to a police station following a dispute with a taxi driver. The Australian international expressed relief after the verdict, thanking her supporters, family, and friends.
“While I apologise for expressing myself poorly on what was a traumatic evening, I have always maintained that I did not intend to insult or harm anyone, and I am thankful that the jury unanimously agreed,” she said. “I am fully focused on getting back on the pitch and look forward to an exciting year ahead for me and my family.”
Kerr left the courtroom with her fiancée, West Ham midfielder Kristie Mewis, after giving a thumbs-up to her legal team.
The trial revealed that Kerr and Mewis had been out drinking when a taxi driver took them to Twickenham Police Station, alleging they refused to pay clean-up costs after one of them was sick and that one of them had smashed the vehicle’s rear window.
During proceedings, Kerr argued that her words were not meant as a racial insult but rather a reaction to the perceived power and privilege of the officers.
Following the verdict, Judge Peter Lodder KC stated that Kerr’s own behavior had “contributed significantly” to the case being brought against her.
It was also revealed that Kerr’s legal team had attempted to have the case dismissed earlier, arguing that prosecutors had misused legal procedures to justify pressing charges nearly a year after the alleged incident.
