The Australian soccer star has been found not guilty of racially abusing a UK police officer by a British jury in a unanimous verdict.
The Australian soccer star has been found not guilty of racially abusing a UK police officer by a British jury in a unanimous verdict.
By Rob Harris
February 12, 2025 — 12.11am
London: Australian soccer star Samantha Kerr has been found not guilty of racially abusing a UK police officer by a British jury in a unanimous verdict.
Kerr, the 31-year-old Matildas captain and star striker with English club Chelsea, had denied a charge of racially aggravated harassment, but admitted she repeatedly called Constable Stephen Lovell “f—ing stupid and white” during a drunken altercation over a taxi fare with police in January 2023.
The jury, comprising of eight men and four women, deliberated for about four hours before reaching its verdict at Kingston Crown Court. The offence carries up to two years’ imprisonment and a fine of nearly $5000.
Kerr, her parents Roger and Roxanne, brother Levi and pregnant fiancée Kristie Mewis, were all present for their decision. Kerr, wearing a white shirt, showed little emotion when the verdict was read, but Mewis broke down in tears and was comforted by Roger.
Kerr was overheard saying “hope to never see you again” to the dock officer as she left. She then hugged her brother.
Judge Peter Lodder flagged after the verdict he was not fondly disposed to making a ruling on costs.
“I take the view her own behaviour contributed significantly to the bringing of this allegation … that has a significant bearing on the issue of costs,” he said. “Behaviour which she herself had to accept by virtue of video recording.”
The Australia captain, one of the recognisable and highest-paid women’s soccer players in the world, faced days of interrogation on the witness stands, retracing the events of the evening two years ago which included a chaotic taxi ride, a smashed car window, multiple calls to police and a tense, drunken and foul-mouthed episode with three police officers.
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Kerr and her partner, West Ham midfielder Kristie Mewis, had been out drinking when they were driven to a police station by a taxi driver, who complained that they refused to pay clean-up costs after the Australian was sick, and the American smashed the vehicle’s rear window.
The pair told the court they were in an intoxicated and highly distressed state, having believed the taxi driver had tried to kidnap them and hold them “hostage”. Things took a turn in the cab ride from Oxford Street to Kerr’s then home in Richmond after she vomited in the taxi.
The driver had called police telling them the women were refusing to pay for their fare and a soiling charge and was told to drive them to Twickenham Police Station.
A key part of the trial was police bodycam footage played to the court, where Kerr had also referred to officers as “white” and “privileged” earlier in recorded exchange as well.
In his statement, Lovell said being called “stupid and white” made him feel “shocked, upset and leaving me feel humiliated” adding, “they were too far and I took great offence to them”.
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He told the court the reference to his race made him feel “upset”.
Kerr told the court she used the words because she felt she was being treated differently because of her skin colour by a person in a position of power, but said she didn’t mean to harass him.
“I expressed myself poorly in that video,” Kerr said.
Kerr is the captain and all-time leading scorer for Australia’s women’s team with 69 goals since her debut in 2009.
She is recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury she sustained at a training camp in Morocco in January last year. She is regarded as one of the finest players in the English women’s competition, having won several trophies since joining Chelsea in 2019, scoring 99 goals in 128 matches.
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Rob Harris is Europe correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect via email.
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