Kerr faced court over accusations of racially aggravated harassment.
Injured captain Sam Kerr will return to Matildas this week after Football Australia discovered that she was “not accepting professional and sincere responsibility” in the London trial last month.
The 31-year-old was accused of racially aggravated harassment by a police officer after she called him “silly and white,” but was exempt from the charges.
She faced court after a nightclub in London in January 2023, after which she and her partner Christie Mewys went out for dinner and then a birthday party.
After failing to find an Uber to take them home, they welcomed a black taxi in London and asked to take them to Kerr’s house.
She admitted that she began vomiting outside the window during the journey. The explanations for what happened next vary, but Kerr and Mewyth claimed they were afraid they were being lured, but the driver said they were taking them to the police station when they showed they wouldn’t pay the cleaning fee.
When the taxi arrived at Twickenham Police Station in southwest London, police constable Stephen Lovell, who was in a car outside the station, looked at the court.
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Mewyth later admitted in court that she had driven out the glass.
Christie Mewyth, partner of Australian footballer Sam Kerr, will leave Kingston Crown Court in Kingston on February 7, 2025 to the Thames in England. Dunkitwood/Getty Images
The lawsuit against Carr relied heavily on a 34-minute body camera vision from another constable. The vision showed that Kerr repeatedly vowed and cried out as an officer.
Ju’s ju apprentice was shown in another section of the body cam footage with no sound, Carr showing her phone to Lovell. Prosecutors alleged she was showing off her bank account to police.
At one point during the exchange, she made a “silly, white” comment that led to the accusation.
In a lengthy joint statement from Kerr and Football Australia released on March 31, Kerr said he wanted to express his “honest regret about how the event unfolded.”
“We recognize that leadership means paying attention to our actions on and off the pitch. We are proud of Matildas, the role we played as a member of that team, and all the roles we represent, and we are committed to learning from this experience.
Football Australia President Ant Isaac added, “We’ve added an important perspective that the public may not notice, along with knowing how Sam feels about the event and the additional context we’ve learned. Putting aside these difficulties, this one incident should not offset the incredible contributions he’s made public and private, on-site, during and outside for over 15 years.”
Samker will arrive at Kingston Crown Court in south London on February 11th, 2025. Justintalis/AFP via Getty Images
Football Development Committee Chairman Heather Garliok added that Kerr “is a valuable member of Matilda and remains recognized by her teammates for her leadership qualities.”
“The team will continue to have an open dialogue to ensure that we all grow and learn together.”
Football Australia believes it has been closed as Kerr is positively concluded in court, the statement said.
During this review, the board called for opinions from various stakeholders, saying it “emphasizes Football Australia’s commitment to equity for all participants.”
Although Kerr is allowed on leave by a Chelsea FC woman, she may take part in selected training activities, but she has not yet been cleared due to competitive football.
She participated in the Commbank Matildas training camp at the March/April FIFA Women’s International Window (March 31 to April 8, 2025).
