Chelsea striker Sam Kerr has been found not guilty of racially aggravated harassment after calling a Metropolitan Police officer “stupid and white.” A jury at Kingston Crown Court cleared her after four hours of deliberation over the January 30, 2023, incident in Twickenham.
Kerr, 31, admitted making the comment but denied it was racially offensive, saying she was “antagonized” by officers after a dispute with a taxi driver. Following the verdict, she expressed relief, apologized for her wording, and said she was focused on returning to football.
The trial revealed that Kerr and her fiancée, West Ham midfielder Kristie Mewis, had been taken to a police station after a taxi driver accused them of refusing to pay cleaning fees and breaking a window. Judge Peter Lodder KC noted Kerr’s behavior contributed to the case being brought against her.
During testimony, Kerr insisted her remark was about power and privilege rather than race. It emerged that PC Stephen Lovell, the officer involved, initially did not report feeling harassed but later provided a second statement claiming the comment left him “shocked and humiliated.”
Kerr’s legal team had earlier sought to have the case dismissed, arguing the prosecution had misused its own guidelines. They claimed a loophole allowed charges to be pursued almost a year after the incident.
Football Australia, which supported Kerr throughout the trial, acknowledged the verdict and the pressures on all involved. It stated it would reflect on the matter with Kerr and looked forward to her return to the pitch.
Kerr left the courtroom with Mewis after giving a thumbs-up to her legal team, ready to move past the case and focus on her football career.
