Chelsea star faces charges of racially abusing police officer after a taxi dispute involving dangerous driving and damaged property.
Chelsea striker Sam Kerr has testified in court that she and her partner, West Ham midfielder Kristie Mewis, were “trapped” in the back of a taxi before one of them smashed the vehicle’s rear window during a tense encounter. Kerr is on trial, accused of racially abusing a white police officer following an incident that occurred on the night of 20 January 2023.
The 31-year-old Australian football captain, who plays in the Women’s Super League, and Mewis had reportedly been out drinking before the altercation, which led to them being driven to Twickenham Police Station by the taxi driver. The driver allegedly took them to the station after a dispute over clean-up costs when one of them became sick in the car, and the rear window was smashed.
At the police station, Kerr is accused of making offensive remarks towards officer Stephen Lovell, calling him “stupid and white”. While Kerr admits to making the comments, she denies the charge of racially aggravated harassment, with her lawyer arguing the statements were directed at power and privilege rather than race.
In her testimony on Wednesday, Kerr described feeling “terrified for her life” during the taxi ride. She explained that the driver had begun to drive erratically after she started feeling unwell, swerving in and out of lanes, accelerating, and stopping abruptly. Kerr stated that the driving continued for 15 to 20 minutes, during which she and Mewis were thrown around in the back of the car, unsure of where they were being taken.
“The driving was dangerous, and I felt we had no control. We were at the mercy of this driver, who could have taken us anywhere,” Kerr said. She also mentioned that the doors and windows were locked, leaving them unable to escape. Mewis eventually “kicked out” the window with her boot, though they did not exit the vehicle immediately as it was still moving.
Body camera footage from PC Lovell was shown to the jury, in which Kerr and Mewis can be heard telling officers they were “very scared” and “trying to escape” the taxi. Kerr further claimed that she felt the police officers sided with the taxi driver and treated her unfairly based on the colour of her skin.
Kerr also referenced high-profile cases during her time at the police station, including the murder of Sarah Everard, allegedly at the hands of a Metropolitan Police officer, and the Australian Claremont serial killer, who was rumoured to have been a taxi driver.
The trial is ongoing.
