Chelsea striker Sam Kerr has been acquitted of racially aggravated harassment after a jury ruled her comment to a police officer did not amount to a criminal offense.

The Australian football star, 31, was charged following an incident in southwest London in the early hours of January 30, 2023. Kerr denied using “whiteness as an insult” and maintained that she believed the officer was exerting “power and privilege” over her.

Incident details

Kerr and her partner, West Ham midfielder Kristie Mewis, had been out drinking when they were taken to Twickenham Police Station by a taxi driver. The driver had accused them of refusing to pay for clean-up costs after one of them was sick and claimed that one of the women had broken the vehicle’s rear window.

At the station, Kerr allegedly became “abusive and insulting” towards PC Stephen Lovell, referring to him as “f****** stupid and white.” However, during the trial at Kingston Crown Court, Kerr refuted claims that she meant the comment in a racially charged manner. She insisted she was not suggesting that the officer was “stupid because he was white” and rejected the charge of racially aggravated harassment.

Defense and court ruling

During her testimony, Kerr said she regretted the language she used but stood by the underlying sentiment of her statement. She expressed fear for her safety, stating that she and Mewis had been “trapped” in the taxi just before Mewis shattered the rear window in an effort to escape.

Judge Peter Lodder KC acknowledged that Kerr’s behavior played a role in the situation but emphasized that the jury had made its decision. “I take the view her own behavior contributed significantly to the bringing of this allegation. I don't go behind the jury’s verdict, but that has a significant bearing on the question of costs,” he said.

Context of the dispute

Kerr explained in court that she believed she and her partner had been treated unfairly by the police. She contended that PC Lovell dismissed their account of being “held against our will” in the taxi. She further argued that the officer’s actions suggested a bias, stating, “I believed it was him using his power and privilege over me because he was accusing me of being something I’m not.”

When questioned about her remarks at the station, Kerr explained that she felt targeted and misunderstood by law enforcement. “I believed they were treating me differently because of what they perceived to be the color of my skin—particularly PC Lovell’s behavior,” she told the jury. She also noted that despite Mewis admitting responsibility for breaking the taxi’s window, she was still arrested for criminal damage, leading her to believe authorities were unfairly placing blame on her.

Following the not-guilty verdict, Kerr has not publicly commented further on the case. The ruling marks the conclusion of a contentious legal battle that has drawn attention both in the football community and beyond. Photo by Katie Chan, Wikimedia commons.