Football star Sam Kerr fronts a London Court over alleged racially aggravated harassment
One of Australia’s highest-profile athletes has fronted a London court after she was charged with alleged racially aggravated harassment of a police officer. See the video.
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Matildas star Sam Kerr will face a court trial in London next month after she was accused of racially aggravated harassment of a police officer in 2023.
The 31-year-old Chelsea striker appeared at Kingston Crown Court on Tuesday for a hearing that lasted most of the day and came after she was allegedly involved in a dispute in 2023 with a police officer over a taxi fare.
Kerr, 31, who is one of Australia’s most well-known sporting figures, was charged after she allegedly abused and threatened a police officer, identified as PC Lovell, outside the police station in Twickenham in southwest London in the early hours of January 30, 2023.
She previously pleaded not guilty to the charge last year.
When Kerr arrived at the courthouse on Tuesday morning dressed in a long back double-breasted jacket, white T-shirt and black trousers she did not make any comments.
When she left just after 4pm local time accompanied by a man who appeared to be a security officer she remained silent.
She was asked many questions by the waiting media pack including an explanation of what took place on the night of the alleged incident but she did not comment.
She just made one expression under her breath to the waiting reporters, “oi ya”, before she was ushered into a waiting black Mercedes Benz four-wheel drive van with tinted windows parked outside the courthouse.
The trial is scheduled to begin on February 3 and is expected to last up to four days.
The Metropolitan Police previously said in a statement: “Samantha Kerr, 30, of Richmond was charged via postal charge requisition on 21 January with a racially aggravated offence under Section 4A Public Order Act 1986.
“The charge relates to an incident involving a police officer who was responding to a complaint involving a taxi fare on 30 January 2023 in Twickenham”.
The 31-year-old Chelsea player, who earned $3.3 million in 2023, making her the highest-paid woman footballer, is also the Matildas’ captain.
She has been battling an ACL injury after rupturing it last year.
Kerr was born in Western Australia, and has Indian ancestry on her father’s side.
In 2024 she and her partner Kristie Mewis, 33, shared news they are having a baby, with Mewis, who plays for West Ham United, carrying their couple’s first child.
The pair announced their engagement in November 2023.
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Originally published as Football star Sam Kerr fronts a London Court over alleged racially aggravated harassment