Chelsea forward Samantha Kerr expressed that she “felt overlooked” by Metropolitan Police officers after reporting an incident with a taxi driver that left her fearing for her safety, as testified in court.
The Australian international faces charges of racially aggravated harassment toward PC Stephen Lovell, having referred to him as “stupid and white.”
On the evening of January 30, 2023, Ms. Kerr and her partner, Kristie Mewis, a West Ham midfielder, enjoyed a night out in south-west London and opted to take a taxi home in the early hours of the morning.
According to the driver, he transported the couple to Twickenham police station after one passenger fell ill in his vehicle, which led to a dispute over a cleaning fee, resulting in a broken rear window.
As detailed in Kingston Crown Court, PC Lovell first encountered Ms. Kerr as she attempted to emerge from a shattered window of the taxi outside the station.
The couple informed the officers that the taxi driver was “acting erratically,” speeding, abruptly stopping, and locking them inside the car for approximately 15 minutes.
A “contentious” exchange regarding the incident took place at the police station, during which Ms. Kerr allegedly became “abusive and derogatory” toward PC Lovell, as evidenced by body camera footage in which she called him “stupid and white.”
Initially, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) determined that there was insufficient evidence to charge Ms. Kerr, but a subsequent statement made by PC Lovell ten months later prompted the police to proceed with charges against the striker.
Testifying earlier on Tuesday, PC Lovell insisted that his later statement was not made “solely to secure a criminal charge.”
Ms. Kerr acknowledged making the “stupid and white” comments but contended that they do not constitute a valid charge.
In a police interview the next day, Ms. Kerr, who has a clean record, told the investigating officer that she “should have been less confrontational,” but felt “very, very threatened.”
Lacking legal representation, she recounted that she vomited through the window, which escalated the driver’s aggression and dangerous driving behavior.
“He was incredibly reckless and frightening, leaving both of us in a state of deep fear.”
During her police statement, Ms. Kerr stated she could not specifically identify PC Lovell but recalled, “We spoke to three officers, and to be honest, I didn’t feel like they were very helpful.”
“We were both extremely scared and upset, and it felt like we weren’t being believed when we arrived; instead, we were somewhat told to ‘just behave, just behave, just behave.'”
She further added, “I want to emphasize that I felt unheard; I have never experienced anything like being locked in a taxi while a driver drove recklessly with both of us inside—that’s why I was so angry and upset.”
The trial is ongoing.
