Sam Kerr, one of the world鈥檚 top female soccer players, was found not guilty Tuesday of the racially aggravated harassment of a police officer.
Kerr, a striker for Australia and for English club Chelsea, accepted she called Police Constable Stephen Lovell 鈥渟tupid and white鈥 during a heated exchange at a police station after a night out in London in January 2023, but had denied that it amounted to the charge.
The verdict came after more than four hours of deliberations by a 12-person jury and on the seventh day of the trial at Kingston Crown Court in London.
Kerr showed no emotion during the reading of the verdict, Britain's Press Association reported, but gave a thumbs-up to her lawyer, Grace Forbes, after the judge had left.
It is alleged Kerr and her fianc茅e, Kristie Mewis, a U.S. soccer player contracted to English team West Ham, had been out drinking when they were driven to the police station by a taxi driver, who complained that they refused to pay clean-up costs after one of them was sick, and that one of them smashed the vehicle鈥檚 rear window.
Kerr, who said she feared for her life as she felt 鈥渢rapped鈥 during the taxi ride, is alleged to have become abusive and insulting toward Lovell at the police station and used expletives while calling him 鈥渟tupid and white.鈥 During cross-examination in court, Kerr said she regretted the way she expressed herself and denied that calling Lovell 鈥渨hite鈥 was used as an insult.
Kerr, who identifies as a white Anglo-Indian, said: 鈥淚 believed it was him using his power and privilege over me because he was accusing me of being something I鈥檓 not ... I was trying to express that due to the power and privilege they (the police) had, they would never have to understand what we had just gone through, and the fear we were having for our lives.鈥
After the jury reached its verdict, Judge Peter Lodder said of Kerr: 鈥淚 take the view her own behavior contributed significantly to the bringing of this allegation. I don鈥檛 go behind the jury鈥檚 verdict but that has a significant bearing on the question of costs.鈥
Kerr鈥檚 trial has been headline news in Australia, with each day in court thoroughly dissected by the domestic media.
Debate over the charge has ranged from the validity of the allegation, to Kerr鈥檚 conduct while being interviewed by police.
Her position as captain of the Matildas, the well-loved national women鈥檚 soccer team, has been called into question by critics.
Kerr is the captain and all-time leading scorer for Australia, with 69 goals since her debut in 2009.
James Johnson, head of Australia鈥檚 Football Association, last week declined to comment on how Kerr鈥檚 return to the national team will be handled.
鈥淲e understand that there will be some disappointment out there (from fans), but what we would ask is that we all wait out,鈥 Johnson said. 鈥淲hat we need to do is give Sam the opportunity to go through the trial.
鈥淥nce we complete the trial, then we鈥檒l have a holistic view of what鈥檚 happened.鈥
Kerr joined Chelsea in 2019 and has scored 99 goals in 128 games for the London club, which is the defending English champion and a top contender for the Women鈥檚 Champions League title.
She hasn鈥檛 played since during a warm-weather training camp with Chelsea in Morocco in January 2024.
Kerr is expected to return in the coming weeks, in time to play for Australia in a pair of international friendlies against South Korea in April in the lead-up to the 2026 AFC Asian Cup.
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