Chelsea striker Sam Kerr told a court she believed police treated her differently because of her race during an incident in London.
Kerr, 31, is on trial for allegedly racially harassing police officer Stephen Lovell after a dispute with a taxi driver in January 2023.
According to the driver, Kerr and her partner, West Ham midfielder Kristie Mewis, refused to pay for cleaning costs after one of them vomited in the vehicle. The driver also claimed one of them broke the rear window.
On Tuesday, the court heard Kerr had insulted Lovell, allegedly calling him "stupid and white." However, testifying on Wednesday, Kerr said she felt targeted by the officer.
"I believed they were treating me differently because of what they thought was the color of my skin, especially PC Lovell," Kerr told the jury. She said she was accused of lying and arrested for criminal damage, even though Mewis admitted breaking the window.
Kerr also described feeling unsafe during the taxi ride. She said she felt sick and tried to put her head out the window, but the driver rolled it up and drove recklessly for 15 to 20 minutes.
"I was terrified for my life," she said. "Kristie was crying and scared. We didn't know where we were."
She added that the taxi doors and windows were locked, and Mewis eventually broke the window with her boot, which was a "relief."
Kerr has played for Chelsea since 2020 but is currently sidelined with a knee injury.
(With reports from AFP)
