By Frances Howe
Sam Kerr is set to appear in a London court at 11pm AEDT on Monday for the first day of a criminal trial in which she is accused of the racially aggravated harassment of a police officer.
The Matildas captain could face time in jail if she is found guilty of the offence from the incident that occurred on January 30, 2023.
Sam Kerr outside Kingston Crown Court on January 14, 2025.Credit: Nine
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the first day of the trial:
What is Sam Kerr accused of?
Kerr is accused of calling a police officer a variation of “stupid white bastard” (according to the UK Newspaper The Sun) or “stupid white cop” (according to News Corp Australia) after a dispute over a taxi fare in south-west London.
The officer was identified in court documents as “PC Lovell”.
The Sun reported that Kerr had been out celebrating her hat-trick during Chelsea’s win against Liverpool in the fourth round of the FA Cup on January 29, 2023, and that her comment was made in the early hours of January 30.
Court records revealed Kerr was briefly held in custody by police but wasn’t charged with any crime until January 21, 2024. She was granted unconditional bail.
She pleaded not guilty on March 4, 2024, to an offence under Section 4A of the Public Order Act 1986 for intentionally causing harassment, alarm or distress to another by using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviours which cause alarm or distress, and that the offence was racially aggravated, per the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.
Could Sam Kerr go to jail?
Kerr’s legal team unsuccessfully attempted to have the charges dismissed on the grounds that there had been an abuse of process given the delay between the incident and the charges being laid.
The trial is set to begin on Monday at Kingston upon Thames Crown Court in London and has been scheduled to last four to five days.
Both PC Lovell and another police officer are expected to be called as witnesses.
Kerr is required to attend and has the right to give evidence in her own defence. Her barrister Grace Forbes requested CCTV from inside the custody room and outside the police station as well as the body-worn footage from the police officers.
Forbes confirmed at the hearing on March 4 that Kerr’s defence would be that she did not intend to cause harassment, alarm and distress to the officer and that the offence was not racially motivated.
The offence under the Crime and Disorder Act carries maximum penalties of six months to two years imprisonment, as well as a fine of up to £2500 (just shy of $5000).
How does this impact her football career?
Kerr has been out of the game since January 2024 after rupturing her ACL. So, while the trial may interfere with her rehabilitation, she wasn’t set to play any games during this period.
Months after being charged, Kerr signed a contract extension last June with Chelsea until 2026.
When the charges were first made public in March 2024, former Chelsea women’s coach Emma Hayes reaffirmed her support for Kerr: “Sam has our full support, she knows that. It’s a difficult time for her.”
The Football Australia chief executive James Johnson also issued a statement in March 2024 in support of Kerr saying, “Sam has pleaded not guilty and her right to a fair and just legal process is important. We trust the judicial system to handle this matter appropriately and urge all respect for the legal proceedings.”
During a press conference in December, current Chelsea women’s coach Sonia Bompastor said she was hopeful the striker would be back playing for the team in February or March. Kerr also joined the team’s training camp in Portugal in January.