PC at centre of Kerr trial challenged over motives

A constabulary serviceman has denied helium claimed to person experienced harassment from Chelsea and Australia striker Samantha Kerr "purely to get a transgression complaint implicit the line".

The footballer, 31, denies causing racially aggravated harassment to PC Stephen Lovell during an incidental astatine Twickenham constabulary presumption successful south-west London successful the aboriginal hours of 30 January 2023.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) authorised the Met Police to complaint Ms Kerr aft PC Lovell submitted a 2nd witnesser statement, a assemblage astatine Kingston Crown Court heard.

The CPS initially ruled that the grounds did not conscionable the threshold to complaint Ms Kerr pursuing the officer's archetypal statement, fixed 10 months earlier the second.

Footage from the officer's body-worn camera was played to the assemblage connected Monday, successful which Ms Kerr uses an expletive and tells the serviceman helium is "stupid and white".

The tribunal heard that PC Lovell gave a witnesser connection connected 30 January 2023 and a 2nd connected 5 December.

Grace Forbes, defending, questioned PC Lovell astir his 2 statements.

She told the court: "Your archetypal connection made nary notation of anserine and achromatic having had an impact."

PC Lovell confirmed it did not.

When asked if helium was "determined" to prosecute Ms Kerr "through the transgression courts", the serviceman replied: "Yes."

"The CPS identified that determination was nary grounds of harassment, alarm oregon distress being caused," Ms Forbes said.

"[I am] going to suggest you are claiming to person experienced this interaction purely to get a transgression complaint implicit the line."

PC Lovell denied this.

Prosecution barrister Bill Emlyn Jones KC asked PC Lovell if helium had been acrophobic astir describing his feelings erstwhile helium gave his archetypal statement.

On re-examination, PC Lovell said Ms Kerr's words made him consciousness "belittled and upset".

He added: "I didn't marque thing up to get a complaint implicit the line."

PC Lovell told the tribunal that successful his 2nd connection helium said Ms Kerr's words had near him feeling "shocked, upset and humiliated" and that her comments astir contention "were excessively acold and I took large offence to them".

He was asked by the prosecution if that connection was true, to which helium answered "yes".

Ms Kerr confirmed she had been drinking connected a nighttime retired with her partner, chap footballer Kristie Mewis, erstwhile she was sick retired of the model of a taxi connected the mode home.

The brace were driven to Twickenham constabulary presumption by the taxi operator who complained the passengers refused to wage clean-up costs and smashed the vehicle's rear window, it is alleged.

The tribunal was played the audio signaling of a voluntary constabulary interrogation fixed by Ms Kerr connected 30 January 2023.

Ms Kerr said that she had felt "very threatened for my life" successful the taxi, saying the operator had locked the doors, and that she "didn't consciousness heard oregon protected successful the constabulary station".

Ms Kerr initially said she did not callback saying the words "stupid and white" to PC Stephen Lovell.

After she was played the constabulary assemblage worn footage she was asked if she had made PC Lovell consciousness harassed, alarmed oregon distressed.

She said: "No, not astatine all."

Asked if she was alert her words could beryllium perceived arsenic racist, she replied successful the interview: "I americium alert thing could beryllium perceived arsenic racist for sure".

"I was evidently intoxicated and I shouldn't person been truthful front-footed," she added.