Footballer ‘terrified for life in locked taxi’
Laura ScottReporting fromKingston Crown Court
EPA
Chelsea and Australia star Samantha Kerr is considered to be one of the world’s best strikers
Chelsea footballer Sam Kerr has told a court she feared for her life as she and her partner were “trapped” in the back of a taxi moments before one of them smashed the vehicle’s rear window.
The Australia international is on trial charged with causing racially aggravated harassment to PC Stephen Lovell during an incident in south-west London by calling him “stupid and white”.
Ms Kerr and her partner, West Ham midfielder Kristie Mewis, had been for a night out and were in a taxi home on 30 January 2023.
Ms Kerr told the jury she had put her head out of the window when she began to feel sick before the driver closed it and began to “drive dangerously”.
Footage of Sam Kerr calling PC Stephen Lovell “stupid and white” was played to the jury on Monday
The driver took the couple to Twickenham police station, where the incident with PC Lovell happened.
Ms Kerr told Kingston Crown Court the murder of Sarah Everard was “prominent” in her mind, as she said the driver of the taxi had locked the doors and did not respond when she and her partner Kristie Mewis “begged” him to let them out.
When questioned, Ms Kerr said: “I hate speed at the best of time, I was terrified for my life, I didn’t have a seatbelt on.”
Ms Kerr alleged the doors remained locked throughout the whole journey, and it was then what happened to Sarah Everard came to her mind.
When asked, she said Ms Mewis kicked the back window with her boot a few times before it shattered and she was relieved “there was a way out”.
Julia Quenzler
Samantha Kerr in court on Wednesday
Ms Kerr also told court she has experienced “being treated differently” because of the colour of her skin.
She said she identifies as “white anglo-Indian”, with her mother from Australia and father from India, the jury heard.
When questioned by the defence, she said she first experienced racism at the ages of nine or 10 years old.
Ms Kerr told the court she moved to the UK from Australia in December 2019 after signing with Chelsea.
She said she and Ms Mewis are due to get married in December and are expecting a baby boy in May.
#Footballer #terrified #life #locked #taxi