Chelsea and Australia star Sam Kerr has been cleared of racially aggravated harassment of a Metropolitan Police officer in London.
The 31-year-old was on trial at Kingston Crown Court relating to an incident that took place in Twickenham on January 30, 2023 along with her partner, Kristie Mewis.
The incident took place after a drunken altercation with a taxi driver, where they were accused of refusing to pay for clean-up costs.
The taxi driver took them to Twickenham Police Station after one of them was sick and they had also smashed the vehicle's rear window.
Sam Kerr has been cleared of racial harrassment
GETTY
At the station, Kerr was accused of becoming 'abusive and insulting' towards officer Stephen Lovell.
She then called PC Lovell 'f****** stupid and white' with footage of the incident played to the jury on Monday.
Kerr admitted to using the words, but denied the suggestion that Lovell was 'stupid because he was white'.
The Chelsea forward said she feared for her life and felt 'trapped' during the taxi ride.
She added: "I believed it was him using his power and privilege over me because he was accusing me of being something I'm not ... I was trying to express that due to the power and privilege they had, they would never have to understand what we had just gone through, and the fear we were having for our lives.
Kerr also told police 'this is a racial... thing' and explained her comments in court.
She added: "I believed [they] were treating me differently because of what they perceived to be the colour of my skin -- particularly PC Lovell's behaviour."
Prosecutor Bill Emlyn-Jones KC argued in his closing speech whether it would be a different trial if 'PC Lovell had been a black male'.
Sam Kerr was supported by her fiancee Kristie Mewis
PA
He added: "Would we consider this a racially aggravated insult if she had said stupid and black? Of course you would, it wouldn't even be contestable."
The Australia international was acquitted by the jury at Kingston Crown Court on Tuesday afternoon.
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Sam Kerr pleaded not guilty to the offences in March last yearReutersKerr was seen giving a thumbs up to her legal team before leaving the courtroom with Mewis.
Judge Peter Lodder KC said: "I take the view her own behaviour contributed significantly to the bringing of this allegation.
"I don't go behind the jury's verdict but that has a significant bearing on the question of costs."
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