Sam Kerr moves to have police race case thrown out

Matildas skipper Sam Kerr has moved to have the charge of racially abusing a London police officer thrown out of court as Football Australia confirmed it had asked for a please explain.

Matildas skipper Sam Kerr has moved to have the charge of racially abusing a London police officer thrown out of court as Football Australia confirmed it had spoken to her with a please explain.

The star striker’s legal team has signalled it has moved to have the charge of aggravated racial harassment struck out, citing an abuse of process notably with police and prosecutors having taken a year to lay the charge.

Kerr, largely considered the best female soccer player in the world, made headlines internationally after appearing in court on Monday to be formally charged with abusing the officer during a dispute over a taxi fare.

The incident happened on January 30 last year but she was only charged six weeks ago, in January this year.

The case has not been listed for trial until February 2 next year.

Kingston Crown Court in London’s south west has confirmed that before the potential trial, a hearing has been slated for April 26, at which it is understood arguments to have the charge dropped will be heard.

Sam Kerr, bottom left, fiancee, Kristi Mewis, and her West Ham teammates in London, Convent Garden. This picture was posted on Instagram the same night Sam Kerr appeared in court in London on Monday

Kerr, who has pleaded not guilty to the charge, will argue she was neither racially aggravated nor caused “alarm, harassment or distress” to the officer and will question why it took 12 months before it was suggested so with a formal charge.

Neither Kerr’s barrister Grace Forbes nor her manager Niki White would comment.

The Chelsea club at which the 30-year-old football star plays was also not commenting about the incident.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he would not comment on legal matters before a foreign court, but praised Kerr for her “exemplary” conduct in his personal interactions with her.

“I will say this about my contact with Sam Kerr, who was our flag bearer at the coronation, I think my contact with her was exemplary,” he said.

“She did Australia proud at that time.

“My contact with her has been delightful.”

The 30-year-old Matildas captain had been charged and will now face a criminal trial. Picture: Visionhaus/Getty Images

Little is known about the circumstances of the case but there are suggestions it was Kerr herself who called police to Twickenham – a short drive from her then home in Richmond – moments after she became embroiled with a taxi driver over a fare.

The Metropolitan Police remained tight-lipped about the case and only confirmed she had been charged via post on January 21 this year with one count of racially aggravated offence under Section 4A Public Order Act 1986. The incident took place on January 30, 2023.

They would not say why it took one year for the charge, which carries a maximum six-month jail term, to be made.

The charging and subsequent appearance in the British court on Monday, albeit via video link, caught the football world by surprise, notably Matilda’s coach Tony Gustavsson and Football Australia. Neither knew there was any issue until it broke in the media.

Sam Kerr and partner Kristie Mewis on January 30, 2023, at Kingsmeadow. Picture: Facebook @SamKerr

The afternoon before the 2023 incident, Kerr was being hailed one of the greats of all-time when at Kingsmeadow stadium she scored three times for Chelsea against Liverpool in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Chelsea went on to win the FA Cup that year.

On Wednesday, Football Australia confirmed it had now spoken to her but declined to say what was said. FA made it clear there would be “no further comments from us”.

The governing body’s boss James Johnson said FA was trying to get to the bottom of the case and why it knew nothing in the year since the incident nor the six weeks since the charging.

Sam Kerr of Chelsea prior to the match between Bristol City and Chelsea FC at Ashton Gate Stadium on December 17, 2023, in Bristol, England. Picture: Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC/Getty Images

“I woke up this morning like everyone else did to the news and that is when Football Australia found out about this unsettling event,” he said on Tuesday.

“We have our own questions that we’d like to know. We have to find out what actually happened.”

Hours after she appeared in court via video link, Kerr was seen out celebrating the belated birthday of fellow teammate Mackenzie Arnold at Covent Garden in London.

Originally published as Sam Kerr moves to have police race case thrown out