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Chelsea striker and Australia captain Sam Kerr is to stand trial after pleading not guilty to racially aggravated harassment of a police officer.

A four-day trial will be held next February after Kerr appeared in court on Monday via videolink.

She was charged with causing a police officer harassment, alarm or distress.

The incident took place in Twickenham on January 30 last year and relates to a “police officer who was responding to a complaint involving a taxi fare”, a Metropolitan Police spokesperson said.

The 30-year-old was charged on January 21 under Section 4A of the Public Order Act.

Kerr will attend trial at Wimbledon Magistrates Court on February 1.

Kerr is currently sidelined for the rest of the season due to injury, having suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury during a Chelsea warm-weather training camp in Morocco in early January.

The Australian international, who is her country’s top scorer, joined Chelsea midway through the 2019-20 season and is a two-time winner of the FWA Women’s Footballer of the Year award.

Kerr’s goals have helped fire Chelsea to four consecutive WSL titles and three consecutive Women’s FA Cups, with the Australian often scoring in crucial games to help the Blues win silverware.

She has scored the winning goal in three FA Cup finals in a row and has won the WSL Golden Boot award twice.

Kerr is also a global superstar and was the face of last year’s Women’s World Cup, held in Australia and New Zealand last August.

The Independent has contacted Chelsea for comment

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