Sam Kerr spent time in custody cell on night she allegedly called a cop a ‘white bastard’

CCTV shows the Matildas captain in a custody suite after allegedly racially abusing a police officer, as judge warns if she’s going to plead guilty she should do so soon.

Matildas captain and Chelsea striker Sam Kerr spent time in a police cell 14 months ago after allegedly racially abusing a police officer and has been told by a judge that if she intends to plead guilty to the charge the sooner she tells the court the better.

Kingston Crown Court was told on March 4 that there are numerous body worn video clips and potentially CCTV from outside the police station where the alleged offence occurred in Twickenham, south west London on January 30, 2023 as well as inside the custody suite where Ms Kerr was taken.

The court heard that the last two body worn clips, labelled H8 and H9, had not yet been submitted to the defence team.

As well as being arrested at the time, Ms Kerr was interviewed. Her defence team has asked the court for a transcript and audio of that interview to be made available to them.

On Wednesday The Australian obtained a full transcript of the March 4 preliminary court hearing which lasted 16 minutes and made public the charge laid against the footballer.

There has been much controversy about Ms Kerr keeping the alleged incident secret from Football Australia throughout all of 2023 including during the FIFA World Cup tournament in Australia.

The Sun newspaper reported on March 6 that Ms Kerr had called the police officer a “stupid white bastard” after two officers had attended to the Twickenham scene because of an issue with a taxi driver. The newspaper said Ms Kerr had been sick in the taxi.

Some Australian politicians have ridiculed the British police officer saying the phase was not racist, while the full evidence of the case has yet to be submitted.

Politician John Ruddick told the NSW parliament that the police officer was “a sook”. Chelsea football club manager Emma Hayes said she gave Ms Kerr her “full support”.

In the court hearing earlier this month Ms Kerr pleaded not guilty to racially aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress.

The court heard particulars of the offence were that on the January 30, 2023, Ms Kerr intended to cause a police officer harassment, alarm or distress using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour, thereby causing that or another person harassment, alarm or distress and that the offence was racially aggravated within the terms of Section 28 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.

The court allocated four to five days for the trial after the prosecution wanted “to take account of the potential for defence witnesses and the fact that there is certainly going to be some, if not numerous body worn video clips and potentially CCTV in this case.”

The prosecutor added: “It was a very short incident. Four days is, it may be done sooner, but I think it is realistic that it could take up to that.”

Judge Judith Coello, who listed the trial dates for a four to five day hearing next February, told Ms Kerr, 30; “Should there be any change in your position … the sooner you plead guilty to this matter, if that is your intention and your wish, the earlier you do that the better, do you understand?”

She was told: “You will lose credit as time goes on and should you be convicted after trial; you will lose all credit you might otherwise have obtained. Are you clear on all of that?”

Ms Kerr, who had formally pleaded not guilty, replied “yes”.

If found guilty Ms Kerr could face up to six months jail or an unlimited fine.

Ms Kerr’s legal counsel agreed with the judge who said in court: “The defence is one that you say that she did not intend to cause harassment, alarm and distress to the officer, and it did not amount to it, and it was not racially aggravated, is that correct?

“Well, you set out very briefly, it is on the mitigation to the defence and the reason to believe the argument on abuse of process, you have set that out fairly clearly there.”

The judge said that there would be abuse of process application heard on April 26, which Ms Kerr is excused from attending, with defence skeleton argument submitted by April 2 and any prosecution response by April 16.

“If it is successful then that will be the end of the matter, if it is not successful, then clearly the matter will proceed to trial,’’ Judge Coello said.

The judge also told Ms Kerr that she had to lodge her defence statement, in full, with sufficient detail so that both the prosecution and the court knows what her defence is by May 7 this year.

“Any failure to do that or any failure to give sufficient detail could count against you with a jury at trial, do you understand?” the judge informed Ms Kerr. The prosecution has to submit its evidence in the case by April 9.