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Chelsea manager Emma Hayes says Sam Kerr has the club's "full support" after being charged with racially aggravated harassment of a London police officer.

Kerr, 30, pleaded not guilty to the offence at a court hearing on Monday, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

The Australia captain is scheduled to appear at Kingston upon Thames Crown Court on 3 February 2025.

"Sam has our full support, she knows that," said Hayes.

"It's a difficult time for her. Of course I can't comment, you know that. I can say that I know she's pleaded not guilty and I don't want to do anything to jeopardise anything for Sam by speaking about it.

"For that reason, I'm sure you can appreciate that's all I'm going to say on the matter. But she has our full support, she knows that, it's really important I get that across, it's something I really, really value.

"There's difficult moments, tough times and that's what my role is at this football club - to make sure I look after our people - and I want to make it clear that Sam will be supported by me and everybody else."

Kerr was charged on 21 January this year "with a racially aggravated offence under Section 4A [of the] Public Order Act 1986", a Metropolitan Police spokesperson said.

"The charge relates to an incident involving a police officer who was responding to a complaint involving a taxi fare on 30 January 2023 in Twickenham," they added.

Kerr denied the charge at a plea and trial preparation hearing at Kingston upon Thames Crown Court on Monday.

The striker is currently sidelined after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the club's warm weather training camp in Morocco in January.