Sam Kerr‘s legal team are attempting to have her criminal charges dismissed and avoid a trial next year, following reports that the Matildas captain had allegedly committed racially aggravated harassment on a police officer in 2023.
News broke on Monday that Kerr, 30, had been charged with harassment following an alleged incident over a taxi fare in Twickenham, London on January 30, 2023. She appeared via videolink at the Kingston Crown Court. Kerr only spoke to state her name and enter a not guilty plea. The court documents claim that Kerr used “abusive or insulting words or behaviour” and caused the police officer “harassment, alarm or distress”.
Now, court documents have revealed that Kerr’s lawyers will argue an abuse of process by prosecutors in the hopes that the 2025 criminal case will be dropped. This means that her legal team will argue that Kerr — AKA the defendant — would not receive a fair trial or it would be unfair for the defendant to be tried.
According to the ABC, Kerr’s lawyers are expected to appear in a hearing set for April 26, 2024.
Previously, the judge presiding over Monday’s court appearance stated that she believed Kerr’s defence would be that she did not intend to upset the police officer.
“I understand that the defence is that she didn’t intend to cause alarm, harassment or distress to the officer, [her behaviour] did not amount to it and it was not racially aggravated,” Judge Judith Elaine Coelle said in court on Monday.
Kerr has yet to address the charges or allegations against her. However, Football Australia boss James Johnson and Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson have told reporters that they were unaware of the incident or the charges, finding out when it was released to the media.
“First time I ever heard about it was this morning,” Gustavsson said.
“I was informed this morning and obviously was surprised … I can make it very clear that today was the very first time I ever heard about it.”
