Jury in trial of Chelsea striker Sam Kerr begins deliberations

A jury has retired to consider its verdicts in the trial of Chelsea striker Sam Kerr, who is charged with causing racially aggravated harassment.

The Australian international footballer, who denies the charge, called Pc Stephen Lovell “stupid and white” during an incident in south-west London in the early hours of January 30 2023.

It is alleged that Kerr, 31, and her partner, West Ham midfielder Kristie Mewis, had been out drinking when they were driven to Twickenham Police Station by a taxi driver who complained that they had refused to pay clean-up costs after one of them was sick and that one of them smashed the vehicle’s rear window.

At the police station, Kerr is alleged to have become “abusive and insulting” towards PC Lovell, calling him “f****** stupid and white”.

During the trial, Kerr denied using “whiteness as an insult” and explained: “I believed it was him using his power and privilege over me because he was accusing me of being something I’m not… I was trying to express that due to the power and privilege they had, they would never have to understand what we had just gone through and the fear we were having for our lives.”

Asked if she was saying Pc Lovell was “stupid because he was white”, Kerr said: “No.”

Kerr also told the court she “feared for my life” as she and her partner were “trapped” in the back of a taxi, moments before Ms Mewis smashed the vehicle’s rear window.

She claimed: “Everything was going through my mind about being in a car with a stranger I deemed to be dangerous.

“There was no reasoning with him. It was his way or nothing.”

The taxi driver, who Ms Mewis said she believed may have been taking them “hostage”, has remained anonymous throughout proceedings and has never been called to give evidence as a witness.

Speaking to the jury during her closing remarks, Grace Forbes, defending said: “No consideration appears to have been given that the driver could have done what two women said he did and still ended up at the police station… even if you are drunk you can still be the victim of a crime… no wonder the police have never heard from the driver again.

“Despite the allegations, they verified the (cost of damage) payment of £900. I’m sure he is very pleased he has remained unidentified.

“He has not faced criminal charges and almost certainly never will. But what happened in that cab is relevant.”

Footage from Pc Lovell’s body-worn camera was previously played to jurors, in which Kerr tells him and Pc Samuel Limb that she and Ms Mewis were “very scared” and “trying to escape” the cab when they damaged the vehicle.

Kerr accepts later calling him “stupid and white” during a heated exchange but denies that they amount to the charge.

When asked about the comments in court, Kerr responded: “I had had a couple of drinks, mixed with tiredness, being in a scared and distressed state and (being) scared for my life 15 or 20 minutes before.”

She said she regretted the way she expressed herself but added: “I feel the message was still relevant”.

Kerr also told the court she believed police “were treating me differently because of what they perceived to be the colour of my skin – particularly Pc Lovell’s behaviour.”

She added: “The way he was accusing me of lying, and later arresting me for criminal damage even though Kristie said it was just her (who smashed the taxi’s window).

“At the time, I thought they were trying to put it on me.”