The British police officer accusing Sam Kerr of racially aggravated harassment has refuted allegations that he altered his statement to aid in securing a charge.

Kerr’s criminal trial commenced this week at Thames Crown Court in Kingston, where the court was informed she allegedly called PC Stephen Lovell “fucking stupid and white” during an altercation at Twickenham Police Station on January 30, 2023.

Earlier that evening, Kerr along with her partner, US footballer and West Ham player Kristie Mewis, had taken a taxi after an evening out and got into a dispute with the driver over the fare. 

It was claimed that one of the passengers became ill in the taxi, refused to pay for cleaning, and broke the rear window, leading the driver to take them to the police station instead of Kerr’s residence in Richmond. 

According to Lovell’s statements, Kerr’s remarks left him feeling “shocked, upset, and humiliated,” and a charge was filed nearly a year later, in December 2023. 

Appearing in court this week, Kerr’s defense team questioned whether Lovell included the detail about the impact of the comments after the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) initially chose not to press charges.

The jury was informed that the officer did not mention the “fucking stupid and white” comment affecting him in his initial statement.

Police had submitted a request to review the CPS’s decision not to prosecute, but they were informed that the result would be limited to an apology. 

Later, when prosecutors sought additional evidence, Lovell submitted a second statement highlighting the alleged impact, as reported by the Sydney Morning Herald.

Testifying on Tuesday, PC Lovell denied embellishing his statement “just to secure a criminal charge.”

“Is that correct, PC Lovell, that you fabricated something to ensure a charge?” prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC inquired, to which Lovell responded: “No, I didn’t fabricate anything to secure a charge.”

He was further questioned about the experience of being called “fucking stupid and white,” stating to the jury that it felt “very unnecessary,” per the BBC. 

During Tuesday’s cross-examination, Kerr’s defense barrister Grace Forbes questioned Lovell regarding Kerr’s status as a renowned athlete.

“Did you presume she was a troublemaker, difficult, and, due to her profession, an arrogant person?” she asked, per The Guardian.

Lovell answered that he was unaware of Kerr’s profession, which Forbes contested.

“You mentioned early on that you knew exactly who she was,” she stated, to which Lovell replied he didn’t remember saying that.

However, he acknowledged knowing she was a “famous football player” after being informed by a colleague.

Video footage from Sam Kerr’s arrest emerges

Meanwhile, Lovell’s bodycam footage of the incident and police interviews conducted the following day have provided further insight into the altercation. 

The court was informed that Lovell first encountered Kerr as she crawled through the shattered taxi window outside the station, with Kerr and Mewis telling officers the driver was “acting irrationally,” had locked them in the car, and refused to release them for about 15 minutes.  

According to the footage, Chelsea striker Kerr felt “overlooked” by officers at the station after informing them that the driver had left them fearing for their lives, leading to a “heated” discussion. 

“He was incredibly dangerous and frightening, and he had us both extremely afraid,” she conveyed to officers during an interview the next day.

She also admitted she “shouldn’t have been so confrontational” but had felt “very threatened,” the court was informed, as reported by the ABC.

Kerr has acknowledged calling Lovell “stupid and white,” but her legal team argues that the remark was made out of frustration and does not meet the legal standard for harassment.

The trial continues and is anticipated to last five days.

Lead image: Leon Neal and Dan Kitwood/Getty Images