EXCLUSIVE
Sam Kerr has broken cover for the first time since her bombshell racial harassment charge became public, stepping out in central London on Thursday and later re-emerging for a dinner outing with fiancee Kristie Mewis.
The Matildas and Chelsea striker’s legal drama – as exclusively revealed by the Mail – means she is set to face a criminal trial before a jury in February next year.
Kerr has not been sighted since the story broke on March 5, and has made no public comment on her shocking start to the year, which has also seen her dream of representing Australia at the Paris Olympics all but ruined by a serious knee injury she suffered in January.
Kerr appeared untroubled by her awful start to 2024 as she stepped out for a dinner date with fiancee Kristie Mewis in central London on Thursday
Earlier in the day the Matildas and Chelsea striker was dressed casually after leaving the Blues’ training ground in Cobham, on London’s south-west outskirts
Prior to the Mail capturing these exclusive photos, Kerr hadn’t been sighted since news of her bombshell charge broke on March 5, just after she pleaded not guilty in court
But despite her woes, the 30-year-old looked relaxed as she stepped out with Mewis on Thursday evening after being spotted earlier in the day dressed casually after attending Chelsea’s training centre in Cobham, south-west London.
She’d changed out of her tracksuit top and shorts by the time she joined her American football star partner, who wore a striking all-black outfit that combined a sheer top with a jacket, miniskirt and boots.
It’s the second time Mewis has been seen in public since news of Kerr’s charge broke, with the Mail capturing exclusive photos of her in central London on Tuesday afternoon.
The Mail exclusively revealed that the 30-year-old was charged with racially aggravated harassment of a police officer and entered a not guilty plea on March 4, and will now face a four-day criminal trial before a jury.
Mewis – who plays for West Ham – stepped out in an eye-catching all-black outfit
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson confirmed that the incident, which took place 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 the officer.
The Matildas captain wore a white T-shirt under a black suit jacket as she appeared at Kingston Crown Court via videolink, and spoke only to confirm her identity and to enter a not guilty plea to the charge.
Judge Judith Elaine Coello said it was understood that the footballer’s defence would be that her intention was not to upset the policeman.
‘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,’ the judge asked Kerr’s barrister, Grace Forbes.
Kerr had also remained silent on social media since the charge became public, but that changed on Wednesday, when she re-posted an Instagram message from Chelsea advertising the fact that 30,000 tickets have been sold for their upcoming clash with rivals Arsenal.
In addition to the charge of racially aggravated harassment of a police officer, Kerr, 30, is also dealing with a serious knee injury that has all but ruined her dream of representing Australia at the Paris Olympics
After being photographed by the Mail, the Chelsea striker posted this shot to Instagram as she watched the hit TV show Gossip Girl
Kerr wasn’t wearing any bandaging or support on her injured right knee, which was surgically repaired in January after she ruptured a ligament at a Chelsea training camp
The record-breaking striker has also faced calls that she should be stripped of the Matildas captaincy after it emerged that she kept her charge a secret from the national team and the code’s governing body down under, Football Australia
On Thursday night, UK time, she posted a shot to Instagram as she watched the hit TV show Gossip Girl, with what appears to be two iced coffees on a table in front of the screen.
In addition to dealing with the charge and her anterior cruciate ligament injury, Kerr has faced calls for her to be stripped of the Matildas captaincy after it emerged that she didn’t tell the national team or Football Australia – the code’s governing body down under – about her legal predicament.
Both Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson and FA chief executive James Johnson confirmed that they only found out about the bombshell news when the Mail broke the story.
Her Australian and Chelsea teammates have remained silent about her situation, with Matildas and Manchester City star Mary Fowler simply saying, ‘I actually don’t know heaps about that, so I’m not in a position to speak about it and I also think it’s a private matter for her,’ during an appearance on Australian TV on Wednesday.
However, the record-setting striker did receive support from Graham Arnold, the coach of Australia’s men’s national team, the Socceroos.
‘My main concern is – I don’t want to go into any of this – but it’s Sam herself,’ Arnold said on Thursday.
‘The poor kid has been through a really tough year, with [her] injury at the World Cup and with her ACL injury.
‘Let’s give her some thoughts on herself, please. I think it’s a tough time that she’d be going through, it would be really hard on her.
‘As I said, my thoughts are just with her.’
