Sam Kerr says 'I feared for my life' as she explains 'stupid and white' police officer remark

Sam Kerr is connected trial, charged with causing racially aggravated harassment to PC Stephen Lovell, aft she and her spouse allegedly broke retired of a taxi, wherever Kerr claimed she feared for her life

Chelsea footballer Sam Kerr says she "feared for her life" arsenic she and her spouse were stuck successful the backmost of a taxi earlier smashing the rear window, a tribunal heard connected Wednesday.

The Australian is connected proceedings charged with causing racially aggravated harassment to PC Stephen Lovell during an incidental successful south-west London successful the aboriginal hours of January 30 2023. The Chelsea prima was filmed connected PC Lovell's body-worn camera calling him "stupid and white".

It is alleged that Kerr and her partner, West Ham midfielder Kristie Mewis, had been retired drinking erstwhile they were driven to Twickenham Police Station by a taxi operator who complained that they had refused to wage clean-up costs aft 1 of them was sick - earlier 1 of them smashed the vehicle’s rear window.

Giving grounds connected Wednesday, Kerr told the assemblage she had enactment her caput retired of the model erstwhile she began to consciousness sick earlier the operator “rolled it up” and began to “drive dangerously”.

She said: “He accelerated and began to swerve successful and retired of lanes… We were getting thrown around. I couldn’t perceive what helium was saying. He was speeding up and stopping. Neither of america had our belts connected truthful we stood up and tried to speech to him… it felt similar helium was going wherever helium thought… I was terrified.”

Kerr said the unsafe driving continued for 15 to 20 minutes, adding: “I was terrified for my life. Everything was going done my caput astir being successful a car with a alien I deemed to beryllium dangerous. There was nary reasoning with him. It was his mode oregon nothing.

“Kristie asked him to halt the car but determination was nary alteration to his driving. We had nary thought wherever we were. Kristie was precise distressed. She was crying and scared. I’ve ne'er seen her similar that earlier and it made maine much scared. I started to realise however superior the concern was. It enactment maine successful protective mode… helium had the powerfulness implicit us.

“We were not successful control… I deemed him to beryllium unsafe due to the fact that of the driving but besides due to the fact that helium could person taken america anywhere. He couldn’t beryllium tracked truthful nary 1 knew wherever we were.”

Kerr said the brace tried to unfastened the doors and windows aggregate times but they remained locked. Eventually, Ms Mewis “kicked retired (the window) with her boot” which resulted successful Kerr feeling “relieved”, but she added: “We didn’t get retired consecutive distant arsenic the car was inactive moving.”

Footage from PC Lovell’s camera was antecedently played to jurors, successful which Kerr tells him and PC Samuel Limb that she and Ms Mewis were “very scared” and “trying to escape” the cab erstwhile they damaged the vehicle.

At the constabulary presumption Kerr is alleged to person go “abusive and insulting” towards PC Lovell, earlier making her “stupid and white” remark. Kerr accepts making the comments but denies that they magnitude to the charge.

The tribunal besides heard that astatine the constabulary presumption Kerr made notation to Sarah Everard, who was murdered by Met Police serviceman Wayne Couzens successful 2023, telling officers astir a “girl successful Clapham” who “got raped and killed”. She allegedly said to PC Lovell: “I cognize it wasn’t you… But some of america are scared.”

Kerr told the assemblage she ne'er utilized achromatic cabs and preferred Uber due to the fact that she deemed it to beryllium safer and vehicles could beryllium tracked. Born successful Perth, she besides made notation to the Australian Claremont serial killer: “I lived successful a authorities wherever for 30 years determination was a serial slayer that was thought to person been a taxi driver. Everyone was talking astir not getting successful a taxi.”

Kerr was asked astir her upbringing successful Australia and acquisition with racism determination and successful the UK. Identifying arsenic a achromatic Anglo-Indian, the Chelsea guardant said she had seen her begetter and member – who are of Indian descent – treated otherwise due to the fact that of the colour of their skin.

Kerr besides said she had experienced it first-hand successful school, connected societal media and adjacent successful buying centres, telling the jury: “Sometimes I’ll beryllium followed by a information guard.”

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