Chelsea striker Sam Kerr says police treated her differently due to skin colour in star's harassment trial

5 February 2025, 19:32

Chelsea women’s footballer Sam Kerr has claimed police treated her differently "because of the colour of my skin" after an incident in which she alleges a taxi driver took her and her husband “hostage”.

The Australia international is on trial charged with causing racially aggravated harassment to a police officer in south-west London in the early hours of January 30 2023.

Kerr, 31, and her partner, West Ham midfielder Kristie Mewis, had reportedly been out drinking when they were driven to Twickenham Police Station by a taxi driver. 

The diver allegedly complained that they had refused to pay clean-up costs after one of them was sick, while one of them also smashed up the vehicle's back window.

Kerr allegedly became "abusive and insulting" towards the officer - Pc Lovell - calling him "stupid and white".

She told police "this is a racial f****** thing", a jury at Kingston Crown Court heard on Wednesday.

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When asked about these comments, Kerr said: "I believed were treating me differently because of what they perceived to be the colour of my skin - particularly Pc Lovell's behaviour.

"The way he was accusing me of lying, and later arresting me for criminal damage even though Kristie said it was just her (who smashed the taxi's window).

"At the time, I thought they were trying to put it on me."

When asked about her comments towards Pc Lovell, Kerr responded: "I had had a couple of drinks, mixed with tiredness, being in a scared and distressed state and (being) scared for my life 15 or 20 minutes before."

She said she regretted the way she expressed herself, but added she felt “the message was still relevant".

Kerr claimed she believed the driver was "kidnapping" her and her partner and holding them "hostage".

Kerr made reference to Sarah Everard while at the police station, who was murdered by Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens in 2023, by telling officers about a "girl in Clapham" who "got raped and killed".

Pc Lovell allegedly told her "Do you think a a taxi driver, who is going to rape and kill you, would take you to a police station?" to which Kerr responded "you're sick".

"I thought he was making light of what had happened to us. I thought it was an antagonising comment,” she told the court. 

She was asked about another comment in which she called the officer "literally a white privileged person"."It was clear to me that he had no idea about the power and privilege he had in that moment or in life ... he's never had to think about what could happen to you as a female."

In bodycam footage was previously shown to jurors, Kerr can be heard telling Pc Samuel Limb that she and Ms Mewis were "very scared" and "trying to escape" the cab when they damaged the vehicle.

Kerr told the jury while giving evidence on Wednesday she had put her head out of the window when she began to feel sick before the driver "rolled it up" and began to "drive dangerously".

Kerr claimed she was ‘terrified for my life” as the dangerous driving lasted for at least 15 to 20 minutes. 

"Everything was going through my mind about being in a car with a stranger I deemed to be dangerous,” she said.She remarked how her partner was scared and she jumped into “protective mode” after realising the driver  “had the power over us”.

"We were not in control ... I deemed him to be dangerous because of the driving but also because he could have taken us anywhere.” The pair tried to open the doors and windows multiple times but they remained locked until Ms Mewis eventually "kicked out (the window) with her boot".

The Chelsea forward identifies as a white Anglo-Indian and said she has seen her father and brother - who are of Indian descent - treated differently because of the colour of their skin.

Kerr also said she had experienced it first-hand in school, on social media and even in shopping centres, telling the jury: "Sometimes I'll be followed by a security guard."

The trial continues.