Sam Kerr allegedly called a police officer “stupid and white” during an incident at a police station, a jury has been told. The Australian football star, 31, is on trial for allegedly causing racially aggravated harassment toward the officer in south-west London in the early hours of January 30, 2023.
The incident reportedly began when Kerr and her partner, fellow footballer Kristie Mewis, were out drinking and took a taxi home. The driver later took them to Twickenham police station, claiming they refused to pay for cleaning costs after one of them was sick in the vehicle. It was also alleged that one of the passengers broke the taxi’s rear window.
Once at the police station, Kerr is accused of becoming verbally abusive towards an officer, PC Stephen Lovell. Footage from the officer’s body-worn camera was played in court, in which Kerr could be heard saying, “Honestly, you guys are fucking stupid and white.”
According to the prosecution, Kerr’s remarks left the officer feeling “shocked, upset, and humiliated.” It was argued that his race was irrelevant to the situation and that the comment caused him distress. The prosecution stated that Kerr denied any intent to harass or alarm Lovell, explaining that she had been angry and emotional in the moment. She described the entire situation as distressing and said both she and Mewis were crying at the time.
Kerr pleaded not guilty to the charge. The defense argued that while the words used were not in dispute, they did not constitute a criminal offense. It was suggested that Kerr’s comment reflected frustration about power dynamics rather than an intention to racially harass the officer.
The court heard that Kerr and Mewis had been drinking on the night of January 29, 2023, before taking a taxi in the early hours of the following morning. The driver later contacted police, claiming that a woman in the vehicle had attempted to smash the rear window. Following police advice, he stopped outside Twickenham police station to seek assistance.
Two officers, including Lovell, were driving toward the station at the same time. Upon arrival, they noticed smashed glass in the road and saw a taxi parked outside. The driver sounded his horn to get the officers’ attention before stopping behind their vehicle. At this point, Kerr was seen crawling out of the taxi’s broken rear window.
Kerr and Mewis were described as being in a distressed state when they approached the police car. Inside the station, Kerr claimed the taxi driver had refused to take them to her home, making them feel as though they were being kidnapped. She said they broke the rear window in an attempt to escape and raise the alarm.
Upon inspecting the taxi, Lovell observed that both the rear window and the plastic partition separating the driver from the passengers had been damaged. The driver informed police that a passenger had vomited in the back and refused to pay for cleaning, prompting him to call for assistance.
When Lovell returned inside to relay the driver’s account, Kerr and Mewis repeatedly interrupted him. At one point, Kerr displayed her bank account on her phone, implying that she could afford to pay for any damages if she wanted to. Lovell reportedly felt that she was flaunting her wealth and found the behavior belittling.
Kerr was heard on the footage stating that she had attempted to call the police while inside the taxi, only for the call to be disconnected. When Lovell responded, “They wouldn’t do that,” Kerr made the remarks about him being “stupid and white.”
She then looked directly at the officer and repeated the statement, expressing frustration with the situation.
The trial remains ongoing.
