Chelsea ahead Sam Kerr has been discovered not responsible of racially aggravated harassment after referring to a Metropolitan Police officer as “silly and white.”
A jury at Kingston Crown Courtroom reached the decision concerning the incident, which came about in Twickenham, South-West London, on January 30, 2023.
Kerr, 31, claimed she was “antagonised” by officers after being taken to a police station in a taxi following a disagreement.
Whereas she admitted utilizing the phrases “silly and white” towards PC Stephen Lovell, she denied that her remarks constituted a racial offence.
The Australian worldwide confirmed her aid in court docket, giving a thumbs-up to her authorized staff earlier than exiting together with her fiancée, Kristie Mewis.
The altercation started after a taxi driver transported Kerr and Mewis to Twickenham Police Station, alleging that that they had refused to cowl cleansing prices after one in all them was sick within the automobile.
The driving force additionally claimed that one of many ladies had damaged the rear window of the taxi.
Chelsea striker Sam Kerr has been discovered NOT GUILTY of inflicting racially aggravated harassment, after calling a Metropolitan Police officer “silly and white”. pic.twitter.com/zACfl8hjpU
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 11, 2025
Choose Peter Lodder famous that Kerr’s actions had performed a task within the authorized proceedings.
“I take the view her personal behaviour contributed considerably to the bringing of this allegation,” he stated.
“I don’t go behind the jury’s verdict however that has a major bearing on the query of prices.”
Throughout the trial, Kerr admitted she regretted how she expressed herself however maintained, “I really feel the message was nonetheless related.
“I believed it was him utilizing his energy and privilege over me as a result of he was accusing me of being one thing I’m not.
“I used to be attempting to precise that because of the energy and privilege that they had, they’d by no means have to know what we had simply gone by means of and the worry we have been having for our lives.”
It has now been revealed that Kerr’s authorized staff tried to have the case dismissed at a preliminary listening to, arguing that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had mishandled the method.
Her lawyer, Grace Forbes, accused the CPS of breaching its personal pointers, stating {that a} “loophole” within the victims’ proper of evaluation scheme was used to justify transferring ahead with the case a yr after the alleged offence.
Throughout the trial, PC Lovell was questioned about his statements concerning the incident. Initially, he didn’t point out being distressed by Kerr’s remarks, however in a second assertion submitted in December 2023, he described feeling “shocked, upset, and (left) me feeling humiliated.”
