Chelsea footballer Sam Kerr testified in court that she feels she was treated differently by officers at Twickenham police station due to their perceptions of her skin color.
The Australian international is accused of racially aggravated harassment against PC Stephen Lovell, allegedly referring to him as “stupid and white” during an encounter in southwest London.
This alleged incident took place after Ms. Kerr and her partner, West Ham midfielder Kristie Mewis, were taken to the police station by a taxi driver following a payment dispute after a night out on January 30, 2023.
A video presented at Kingston Crown Court shows Ms. Kerr cursing at the officer and asserting that the matter was “racially motivated.”
Ms. Kerr described how the taxi driver brought them to the Twickenham station after she “vomited” out the window, while Ms. Mewis reportedly broke the rear window after the driver locked the doors.
When asked by the defense how she felt around the three officers, including PC Lovell, she initial felt a sense of relief that quickly turned to fear as they began to suggest that the couple had committed a crime. She described the behavior of two of the officers as “provocative.”
Elaborating on her feelings, she noted, “They didn’t believe us – they insisted events hadn’t occurred as I recalled them, which made me feel like I was lying and questioning my own memory.”
Regarding her emotional response to seeing the footage, Ms. Kerr said, “It’s very difficult to watch myself like that.”
She recorded the incident because she felt it necessary to document her perceived mistreatment.
The court heard that PC Lovell stated in the video: “Do you think a taxi driver who is going to rape and kill you would take you to a police station?” To this, Ms. Kerr responded by labeling him a “white privileged person.”
When asked why she made that comment, Ms. Kerr explained that PC Lovell seemed unaware of the privilege he held and that his remarks indicated he had never had to worry about the dangers women face.
She expressed that she feared for her life as she and her partner felt “trapped” in the taxi.
In testimony, Ms. Kerr explained that she had leaned out of the window after feeling nauseous before the driver closed it and began to drive dangerously. She recounted that Ms. Mewis kicked the back window multiple times until it broke, and she felt relieved “to find a way out.”
Ms. Kerr disclosed that the murder of Sarah Everard was on her mind during the ordeal, particularly because the taxi driver had locked the doors and ignored their repeated pleas to be let out.
Additionally, Ms. Kerr spoke about her experiences of “being treated differently” due to her racial background, identifying as “white Anglo-Indian,” with an Australian mother and an Indian father.
While responding to the defense’s questions, she recalled experiencing racism as early as nine or ten years old and shared instances where she felt she was treated differently, like being followed by security in a shopping center if her attire deemed inappropriate.
Ms. Kerr moved to the UK from Australia in December 2019 after signing with Chelsea. The trial is ongoing.
