Sam Kerr's bid to get racially

Release time：2024-05-09 04:44:18 Source：Global Glimmer news portal

Sam Kerr's bid to get a racially-aggravated harassment case against her thrown out has been postponed after she was charged for allegedly calling a police officer a 'stupid white PC'.

Footballer Kerr, 30, was charged in March with racially aggravated harassment of a police officer and entered a not guilty plea, with Kingston Crown Court scheduling a four-day trial for February 2025.

Her case was today mentioned at Kingston Crown Court, with the judge declaring it adjourned until the next appearance on Monday, May 20. No representatives for Kerr or the prosecution attended.

The judge said: 'This case was due to proceed today, but the defence made an application to adjourn and for the timetable to be reset. That has been dealt with and the hearing today has been vacated.

'Defence must have their response submitted by May 1 and prosecution by May 15. The application will now be listed for Monday, May 20.'

Sam Kerr's bid to get a case against her thrown out has been postponed after she was charged for allegedly calling a police officer a 'stupid white PC'

Kerr (pictured) was charged in March with racially aggravated harassment of a police officer and entered a not guilty plea

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson confirmed at the time, that the incident, on January 30 2023, was sparked by a dispute over a taxi fare before Kerr allegedly used insulting, threatening or abusive words that caused alarm or distress to PC Lovell.

The Chelsea and Australia star allegedly called  Lovell a 'stupid white PC', which is an abbreviation for police constable. She also allegedly threw up in the taxi.

Kerr was charged with intentionally causing racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress to the male PC under section 31(1)(b) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. 

She was summonsed via postal requisition to first appear at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on February 1. The case was then committed to Kingston Crown Court.

A hearing was scheduled to take place today, April 26, and her defence was expected to try to dismiss the case, claiming there was an abuse of process, but it has now been postponed to May 20.

Kerr, who suffered an ACL injury while on a warm-weather training camp in Morocco in early January, which is likely to rule her out from playing with the Matildas at the Paris Olympics.

Australia will play their group stage matches in Marseille and Nice and will open their Olympic campaign against Germany on July 25 at the Stade de Marseille.

Kerr appeared at Kingston Crown Court in March and today her bid to get the case thrown out was postponed until May

It usually takes six to nine months to recover from a torn ACL, but professional athletes often take longer to get their strength and fitness back up to speed. That means Kerr would have to defy medical history to have any chance of playing for the Matildas.

She has opened on the reality of her playing any role on the pitch in Paris - and the news is not good for Matildas fans. 'Realistically, the Olympics probably isn't there but I'm still trying to push to get there as soon as I can,' she said in an interview with Vogue magazine.

'It's probably a bit too soon [for the Olympics] but I'm pushing every day to be as strong as I can, as fit as I can and get back to playing my best football.'

She has said that beyond her own football career, she can put more time into the Sam Kerr Football initiative. This foundation aims to provide all children opportunities to forge careers in sport and in-depth physical wellbeing guidance to produce the Matildas and Socceroos of the future.

She has also mooted the possibility of pursuing the career that Kerr has dreamed of outside of football and become a DJ. That could even begin at the Paris Olympics, where Kerr could become the resident DJ for the Matildas in the Olympic Village.

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