LONDON, UK — Chelsea striker and Australian captain Sam Kerr has been found not guilty of racially aggravated harassment of a Metropolitan Police officer, following a seven-day trial at Kingston Crown Court.
The jury, on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, unanimously cleared Kerr of allegations that she intentionally caused racial harassment, alarm, or distress to PC Stephen Lovell during an incident at Twickenham police station on January 30, 2023.
The Incident: A Night Out Turned Legal Battle
The case stemmed from a night out in central London that Kerr and her fiancée, U.S. international Kristie Mewis, had before taking a black cab home to Richmond.
However, the taxi driver called the police after claiming that the pair had refused to pay clean-up costs for vomit in the vehicle and that Mewis had smashed the rear window.
Instead of taking them home, the driver diverted to Twickenham police station, where officers met them.
Inside the station, Kerr allegedly became abusive, referencing PC Lovell’s race.
During the trial, bodycam footage was played in court where Kerr was heard saying:
“You guys are f**** stupid and white… Honestly, you guys are f****** stupid and white. I’m looking you in the eyes, you guys are f****** stupid. I’m f****** over this s***.”**
While Kerr did not deny making the comments, she pleaded not guilty to the charge, arguing that her words were not intended as a racial insult.
The Court’s Ruling and Kerr’s Reaction
Delivering the verdict, Judge Peter Lodder KC noted that Kerr’s own behaviour played a role in the case being brought forward but ultimately did not constitute a criminal offence.
“I take the view her own behaviour contributed significantly to the bringing of this allegation,” Judge Lodder said.
“I don’t go behind the jury’s verdict, but that has a significant bearing on the question of costs.”
Following the verdict, Kerr released a statement expressing relief:
“Following today’s not guilty verdict, I can finally put this challenging period behind me. 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 also thanked her partner, family, friends, and fans for their support throughout the trial.
Claims of Racial Bias and Police Conduct
During the trial, Kerr and Mewis argued that they were treated unfairly by both the taxi driver and the police officers.
Kerr, who identifies as white Anglo-Indian, testified that she has witnessed racism within her family from a young age.
Mewis defended her fiancée’s remarks, stating:
“She was speaking her truth. She has been treated differently, and spoken to differently, for her whole life.”
The couple claimed that after Kerr vomited out of the cab window, the driver became aggressive and drove erratically, making them feel like hostages. This led Mewis to break the rear window with her boot out of fear for their safety.
The pair referenced the murder of Sarah Everard, a 33-year-old woman abducted and killed by a Metropolitan Police officer in 2021, as a reason for their distrust of law enforcement.
Kerr testified that PC Lovell was using his “power and privilege” over her and that she felt gaslighted by the officers who dismissed her version of events.
PC Lovell’s Testimony and Prosecution’s Argument
PC Lovell testified that Kerr’s words left him feeling “shocked, upset, and humiliated”.
“They were too far, and I took great offence to them,” he told the court.
Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC argued that racially charged insults were against the law, stating:
“Calling a white man ‘white’ is not as loaded as calling a black man ‘black.’ It does not carry the hurt and injustice of years, decades, and centuries of personal and collective experience of prejudice. The fact remains that in the heat of the moment, this insult was delivered in reference to race, and that is what the law prohibits.”
Kerr’s Future and Return to Football
The trial marks the end of a difficult period for one of the world’s most recognisable women’s footballers.
Kerr, currently recovering from an ACL injury sustained in January 2024, is expected to return to play in two months.
The Chelsea striker has been with the club since 2019, scoring 99 goals in 128 matches, and recently signed a two-year contract extension.
With the legal ordeal behind her, Kerr has vowed to focus on her football career and prepare for the remainder of the season.
