Prosecutors in the trial of Chelsea striker Sam Kerr, who allegedly called a “stupid and white” police officer, asked the jury if the perceptions would be different if she would say “stupid and black”.
Australia’s international is in court accused of causing heavy rational harassment at PC Stephen Lovell during an incident in Southwest London in the early hours of January 30, 2023.
Allegedi claimed that Kerr, 31, and her partner, West Ham midfielder Kristie Mewis, had been drinking when they headed to the Twicenham police station from a taxi driver who complained that they had refused to pay cleaning costs after one Of them he was ill, and that one of them destroyed the back window of the vehicle.
At the police station, Kerr is suspected to have become “abusive and offensive” towards PC Lovell, calling it “f ****** stupid and white”.
In his concluding speech, prosecutor Bill Emlyn-Jones asked the jury: “What if PC love had been a black male and what if she would call it f *** stupid and black?
“Now it’s not certainly not a fair question, because black and white are not a straight exchange.
“Calling a white man is not as busy so you can’t turn it. It’s not as easy as it.
“In the heat of the moment this was an insult given about race and that is what the law prohibits.
“The test for you is the same regardless of the ethnicity in question. She was insulting it and, at the time, it was hostile to him referring to his race.
“So the fact that you will be able to think of much worse examples of racial deterioration is irrelevant.
“Would we consider this an aggravated racial insult if she had said stupid and black? Of course you would do, it wouldn’t have been controversial.”
During the trial, the court heard references to the characters from the friends of the Chelsea team and former coach Emma Hayes.
Carly Telford, a goalkeeper who played for Chelsea from 2017 to 2022, described Kerr as a “close friend” and a “introverted extrovert”.
She said: “In the field you see skills, the back roll (but) away from the pitch, it is quite smooth and timid. Quite reserved.”
She described her as “generous” with her money and said she often considered how she could cover the costs for the younger players during the nights “to make sure they can celebrate with us.”
Grace Forbes, defending Kerr, read statements from Ms. Hayes, Chelsea Millie Bright captain and midfielder Erin Cuthbert.
Mrs. Hayes, who is the former manager of Chelsea and the current coach of the American football team, said Kerr was a “exemplary roles model” and described her as “one of the warmest, most friendly, dearest players and most attentive. “
She added: “She is calm and run by level and mind. She comes from a wonderful family. She has the biggest heart, she’s a big -hearted child, I think she does well to manage everything that is thrown into it and the reception that is placed on it. “
Ms. Bright described Kerr as a “really special people”, while Mrs. Cuthbert said she was a “great friend and teammate” who “has a unique ability to see the best in all” .
The trial continues.
