Sam Kerr, the captain of the Australian women’s football team and Chelsea striker, has spoken out in court about her experience of being treated differently by police, attributing it to “the colour of my skin.” This came after a terrifying taxi ride in which she and her partner, Kristie Mewis, were allegedly locked in a speeding and swerving taxi, leaving Kerr fearing for her life.
Kerr is currently on trial at Kingston Crown Court, where she faces charges of racially aggravated harassment after calling a police officer “fucking stupid and white” during the aftermath of the incident. Kerr denies the charges. The trial focuses on an altercation with police officer PC Stephen Lovell at Twickenham police station on 30 January 2023. The altercation occurred after Kerr had reported feeling locked inside the taxi during a dangerous ride, which she described as terrifying.
During her testimony, Kerr explained that she felt powerless when her account of the taxi ride was doubted by police officers. She stated that they treated her differently based on what they believed to be her race. Kerr recalled how, growing up in Australia, she had been labeled as a troublemaker by teachers, who she felt discriminated against her because of her mixed heritage. She also spoke about the ongoing racism she faced on social media and in public spaces, where she often felt surveilled and scrutinized.
Kerr recounted the events of 29 January 2023, when she and Mewis went out for dinner and later visited a nightclub. After leaving the club, which they didn’t enjoy, they tried to hail an Uber but were unsuccessful. They eventually took a black cab, despite Kerr’s apprehension, as she had grown up in an area where a serial killer was thought to have been a taxi driver. Once inside the cab, Kerr started feeling unwell and began vomiting outside the window. She described how the driver abruptly closed the window, and from that moment, the atmosphere in the taxi changed dramatically.
According to Kerr, the driver started shouting and driving dangerously, speeding and swerving across lanes. Kerr and Mewis, who were not wearing seatbelts, were tossed around in the back of the cab. Kerr, who has a strong fear of speed, became terrified for her life. The situation escalated, and despite Mewis pleading with the driver to stop, the car continued to speed and was locked. Kerr and Mewis attempted to escape by trying to open the doors and windows, but they were unsuccessful. Eventually, Mewis kicked the window in frustration, causing it to shatter. Kerr said that she felt “relieved” once the window broke because she saw it as their only escape.
After the two women exited the taxi, which had stopped outside the Twickenham police station, Kerr approached the officers, hoping they would help them. Initially, she felt somewhat reassured by PC Lovell’s demeanor, but this changed after he spoke with his colleague, who was with the taxi driver. Kerr claimed that Lovell’s tone shifted, and the officers began to treat her and Mewis as if they were at fault.
Kerr began filming the interaction with the police because she felt she was being mistreated and wanted to document the situation. She expressed how powerless she felt in the police station, knowing that the officers had the authority to decide whether she would be allowed to leave. She reiterated that she believed the treatment she received was influenced by her race, highlighting that officers treated her differently based on their perceptions of her skin color.
At one point during her testimony, Kerr mentioned Chelsea’s lawyers to remind the officers that she had people who would protect her. She described the police interactions as “triggering,” referring to past experiences of people attempting to place blame on her unjustly.
