Sam Kerr: Footballer denies 'whiteness as insult' against police
2025-02-06
Category: sports

Chelsea striker Samantha Kerr has denied using "whiteness as an insult" in an exchange with police at Twickenham station, where she called one officer "stupid and white".The Australia international denies a charge of causing racially aggravated harassment to PC Stephen Lovell during an incident in south-west London in the early hours of 30 January 2023.When it was put to her under cross-examination at Kingston Crown Court that she "chose to show hostility" towards the officer "because of his whiteness", she said "that's not what I meant".In evidence, Ms Kerr said she was "antagonised" by officers after she was taken to the police station by a taxi driver following a dispute.
Ms Kerr was with her partner, West Ham midfielder Kristie Mewis, when the incident allegedly happened.The striker has previously told the court the driver took the couple to Twickenham police station after she "spit vomited" out of the window of his vehicle while Ms Mewis smashed the rear window as the driver had locked the doors.At the station, Ms Kerr is alleged to have become "abusive and insulting" towards PC Lovell.At the court on Thursday, Ms Kerr was asked by prosecutors if she was using PC Lovell's "whiteness as an insult".She responded: "No, that's not what I meant." Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC said to Ms Kerr: "At the moment of expressing your hostility to him because of what you thought was his stupidity, you also chose to show hostility towards him because of his whiteness."To which Ms Kerr replied: "That's not what I meant."Mr Emlyn Jones replied: "It's what you did, isn't it?""It's what I did, yes," replied Ms Kerr.In reference to her calling PC Lovell "stupid and white", the prosecutor asked Ms Kerr: "What did his race have to do with anything?"Ms Kerr replied: "I thought it was him using his privilege and power over me because he perceived me to be something I'm not."Later, she added: "I was trying to express that they would never, because of their power and privilege, ever have to experience what we had just gone through, in fear of our lives."
In cross-examination, Ms Kerr was also asked why she had mentioned Chelsea and her lawyers in the exchange with the police officers at the station. She said she was trying to "make myself feel protected, bluff". Mr Emlyn Jones said to Ms Kerr that she was "throwing your weight about", to which she replied "no". He said there was "no basis and no evidence" for her accusation that the police were motivated by race during the incident. She replied: "That's how I perceived it".
The court previously heard on Wednesday that she had sworn at the police and said "this is a racial thing".When asked about these comments, Ms Kerr said: "I believed they 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."She added on Thursday: "(It was) the way he was responding to me, cutting me off, names he was calling me, being dismissive."Ms Kerr also said in court her perception was shaped by how officers were treating her differently to her partner Ms Mewis.The trial continues.
Additional reporting by PA Media
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