Sam Kerr’s teammates and former manager Emma Hayes has thrown their support behind the Chelsea star.
The court heard testimonies from seven of Kerr’s close friends and family on the fifth day of her trial at Kingston Crown Court.
The 31-year-old denies causing racially aggravated abuse towards PC Stephen Lovell at Twickenham Station on January 30, 2023.
And her former Chelsea manager Hayes gave a written character statement of Kerr this morning, describing the Australian striker as an ‘exemplary role model’.
The United States women’s team coach said: ‘I want to say that Sam is one of the warmest, friendliest and kindest players that I’ve ever coached. Not only is she an exemplary role model to her teammates, but in particular to the younger players in the way she applies herself.
‘She is someone who naturally protects and looks after the wellbeing of everyone around her. She has great perspective about things and even when things get heated she is calm and level-headed.
‘Her protective nature is always to look after the people around her. She has a wonderful heart, and she is a big kid at heart. And I think she does well to manage everything that is thrown at her and the expectation that is thrown at her.’
The 31-year-old denies causing racially aggravated abuse towards PC Stephen Lovell at Twickenham Station on January 30, 2023
Sam Kerr ‘s teammates and former manager Emma Hayes (above) has thrown their support behind the Chelsea star
Kristie Mewis, the partner of Chelsea and Australia striker Sam Kerr arrives at Kingston Crown Court
The court also heard written testimonies from Kerr’s Chelsea teammates Millie Bright and Erin Cuthbert, and former Blues goalkeeper Carly Telford also gave evidence.
Kerr, who has not played since rupturing her ACL in January last year, told a court earlier this week that she called a policeman ‘stupid and white’ because he didn’t understand his privilege and treated her differently because of the colour of her skin.
Kerr said PC Lovell failed to listen to her and fiancée Kristie Mewis when they told him they believed a taxi driver had tried to abduct them.
The Australian captain made the comments when the cab driver took them to a police station after she vomited out of his window following a night out.
Kerr said the driver began to ‘drive dangerously’ after she was sick, leaving the pair distressed – and making her think of the abduction and murder of Sarah Everard in March 2021. They kicked out the rear window in a bid to escape.
The cabbie rang the police and drove to Twickenham Police Station, where he was met by PC Lovell and a colleague, who arrived at the station at the same time in a marked car.
She is accused of racially abusing Met Police officer Stephen Lovell (pictured in a court sketch giving evidence on Tuesday)
Kerr revealed in court that she and fiancée Kristie Mewis, the West Ham midfielder, were expecting a boy after announcing their pregnancy last November
Kerr is one of women’s football’s most prolific footballers, captaining Chelsea and playing for the Australian international side (left and right)
Giving evidence at Kingston Crown Court on Wednesday, Kerr told the jury Sarah Everard had been ‘prominent’ in her mind following her murder, causing her to fear being ‘in the control of a stranger’.
The court heard they had been out for dinner at Amazonico in Mayfair and at a party in Bagatelle. Kerr had been unable to summon an Uber, her preferred means of getting a taxi, prompting them to hail a black cab on Oxford Street.
But after she put her head out of the window when she felt sick, she said the driver ‘rolled it up’ and began to ‘drive dangerously’.
She also revealed in court she and fiancée Kristie Mewis – an American midfielder playing for West Ham – were expecting a boy, having announced their pregnancy in November, and plan to get married at the end of the year.
The trial previously heard evidence from PC Lovell, who said he had not been aware of who Kerr was at the time he was called to Twickenham Police Station.
He told the trial he felt ‘belittled and upset’ as he was subjected to the alleged rant.
The court heard that the matter had been referred to the Crown Prosecution Service after PC Lovell provided a statement. But it initially concluded there was not enough evidence to formally charge the star.
Kerr would then play for Australia in the Women’s World Cup over the summer of 2023. The country was also hosting the tournament.
Scotland Yard asked the CPS to re-open the case in October. Prosecutors took further statements from the constable and authorised police to charge the star in December 2023.
She said in a police interview of the ‘stupid and white’ remark: ‘I definitely do not recall saying that.’
The trial continues.
