Chelsea star Kerr cleared of racial harassment of police officer

Desk news:

Chelsea striker Sam Kerr was Tuesday found not guilty of causing racially aggravated harassment after calling a British police officer ‘stupid and white’.

A jury at Kingston Crown Court in London cleared the Australia captain in relation to the incident in southwest London on January 30, 2023.

Kerr, 31, and her partner, West Ham midfielder Kristie Mewis, had been out drinking when they were driven to Twickenham Police Station by a taxi driver who complained they had refused to pay clean-up costs after one of them vomited, and one of them had smashed the vehicle’s rear window.

At the police station, Kerr became ‘abusive and insulting’ towards police officer Stephen Lovell, calling him ‘stupid and white’.

A jury returned the not guilty verdict after deliberating for more than four hours since Monday.

Judge Peter Lodder said after the verdict: ‘I take the view her own behaviour contributed significantly to the bringing of this allegation.’

The Australian showed no emotion during the reading of the verdict but gave a thumbs up to her lawyer after the judge had left.

‘Following today’s not guilty verdict, I can finally put this challenging period behind me,’ Kerr said in a statement.

‘While I apologise for expressing myself poorly on what was a traumatic evening, I have always maintained that I did not intend to insult or harm anyone and I am thankful that the jury unanimously agreed.’