Chelsea and Australia captain, Sam Kerr appeared in a London court on Monday, facing accusations of racially aggravated harassment after allegedly directing a racial remark at Metropolitan Police officer PC Stephen Lovell during a dispute in January 2023.

Incident Unfolded After Taxi Dispute

The court heard that Kerr and her partner, West Ham United footballer Kristie Mewis, were out drinking on the night of January 29, 2023, before taking a taxi home. However, the journey escalated into a dispute when the driver reportedly refused to continue to Kerr’s residence.

Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC told the jury that the taxi driver had contacted the police, alleging that Kerr and Mewis were behaving aggressively, refusing to pay cleaning costs after one of them had vomited, and attempting to break the vehicle’s rear window.

Following police advice, the taxi driver diverted to Twickenham police station instead of Kerr’s home. When the taxi arrived at approximately 2:20 AM, police officers, including PC Lovell, witnessed Kerr crawling out of the vehicle’s broken rear window.

Sam Kerr’s Comments and Police Reaction

Inside the station, Sam Kerr expressed distress, claiming she felt the driver had “kidnapped” them. However, when PC Lovell attempted to explain the driver’s version of events, Kerr reportedly interrupted and responded aggressively.

The court was shown body camera footage in which Kerr, 31, directed a comment at PC Lovell, stating:

“You guys are f—ing stupid and white.”

The prosecution stated that the remark left Lovell “shocked, upset, and humiliated.”

Kerr, who has Indian heritage, does not deny making the comment but has pleaded not guilty to racially aggravated harassment.

Chelsea’s Sam Kerr on Trial for Racially Aggravated Harassment 

Defense Argues Comment Was About Power and Privilege

Kerr’s lawyer, Grace Forbes, argued that while the statement was made, it was not intended as an act of racial hostility.

“Nobody disputes the words that were said. But simple words, even words like these, do not make you guilty of a criminal offense,” Forbes told the jury.

“Sam Kerr did not feel hostility to the officer because he is white. The words were a comment, we say—however poorly expressed—about positions of power, about privilege, and about how those things might colour perception.”

Kerr herself described the situation as “distressing” and a “heated moment.”

Sam Kerr’s Career and Trial Timeline

Sam Kerr is one of the most prominent figures in women’s football, having scored 199 career goals across England’s Women’s Super League, Australia’s W-League, and the United States’ NWSL.

She is also Australia’s all-time top scorer with 69 goals in 128 international appearances.

However, she has been sidelined since January 2024 after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

Her trial at Kingston Crown Court is expected to conclude this week.