Chelsea striker Sam Kerr has claimed police treated her differently "because of the colour of my skin" after an incident where she alleges she and her partner were taken "hostage" by a taxi driver.
The Australia international is currently on trial charged with causing racially aggravated harassment to PC Stephen Lovell after the early morning incident on January 30, 2023, in south-west London.
Taking the witness stand at Kingston Crown Court, the 31-year-old footballer explained the events leading to her encounter with police. Kerr and her partner, West Ham midfielder Kristie Mewis, had reportedly enjoyed a night out drinking before the taxi driver drove them to Twickenham Police Station. The driver had complained they refused to pay for clean-up costs after one became sick and claimed one of them had smashed his vehicle's back window.
Once at the police station, Kerr allegedly grew "abusive and insulting" toward officer PC Lovell, calling him "stupid and white" and stating, "this is a racial f****** thing". When queried about her comments, Kerr insisted, “I believed [the police] were treating me differently because of what they perceived to be the colour of my skin - particularly PC Lovell's behaviour.”
Kerr recounted feeling targeted by the police, alleging Lovell’s accusations suggested she was lying, which only fueled her frustration. The footballer stated, “The way he was accusing me of lying, and later arresting me for criminal damage even though Kristie said it was just her (who smashed the taxi's window). At the time, I thought they were trying to put it on me.”
Reflecting on her mindset during the encounter, Kerr expressed regret for her outburst but maintained, "I feel the message was still relevant." She described feeling frightened during the taxi ride, convinced she and Mewis were being kidnapped. Kerr referenced the tragic case of Sarah Everard, who was murdered by police officer Wayne Couzens, stating, "There’s a girl in Clapham who got raped and killed," to highlight her fear.
Surprisingly, PC Lovell responded, “Do you think a taxi driver, who is going to rape and kill you, would take you to a police station?” Kerr remarked on this seemingly trivializing comment, asserting, “I thought he was making light of what had happened to us. I thought it was an antagonising comment.”
Kerr said she was terrified throughout the taxi ride, which lasted about 15 to 20 minutes. "He accelerated and began to swerve in and out of lanes… I was terrified for my life. Everything was going through my mind about being in a car with a stranger I deemed to be dangerous,” she told the jury.
The couple found themselves unable to control their situation as they attempted to escape the taxi. Kerr recalled, "We were not in control ... I deemed him to be dangerous because of the driving but also because he could have taken us anywhere,” reflecting on their panic-stricken attempts to open the car doors and windows as they realized they were trapped.
Eventually, Mewis managed to kick out the window with her boot, which allowed them to feel relieved but also scared as the car was still moving. Kerr responded: “I do now [know police had advised the taxi driver to bring the pair to the police station].” Yet, her instinct about the taxi situation endured: “I was terrified for my life.”
Kerr's experiences with racism were also recounted, identifying as white Anglo-Indian and noting her observations of her father and brother, who are of Indian descent, experiencing unequal treatment. She reflected on her personal encounters, saying, "Sometimes I'll be followed by a security guard,” underscoring her candid acknowledgment of racism she faced at different points of her life.
With the trial continuing, Kerr stands firm on her claims, illustrating the complex intersection of racial dynamics, personal safety, and the law.