Andy Carroll thanks public after speaking out on sexual assault

Former England striker Andy Carroll has publicly thanked the public for their support after disclosing he was sexually assaulted by a man at his home in 2021. The incident occurred while Carroll was playing for Newcastle United. He detailed the assault and its emotional toll in his autobiography, 'Owning It', and in a recent interview on the Football Uncensored podcast.

Carroll, 36, who is now a player and co-owner of National League South side Dagenham, stated that he feared he would not fully recover from the trauma. He identified the perpetrator as television dance coach Kevin Adams, who had appeared on the BBC series Fame Academy in 2002. Adams was convicted of sexual offences and received a 20-month prison sentence in 2023.

Speaking on the podcast, Carroll described the response to him going public with his experience as overwhelming. He said that speaking about the assault had brought him significant support. He expressed that he wished he had shared his experience sooner, believing it might have aided his recovery process. Carroll stated he is now happy with himself and has the support of his partner, family, friends, and the public.

Carroll recounted that the assault happened while he was asleep. He subsequently removed the man from his home and later incapacitated him when he attempted to re-enter the property. The footballer described giving evidence in court as a humiliating and embarrassing experience. He said the events had been 'eating me alive inside for so long' and that he would 'never, ever get over that'.

Carroll added that he now feels people can understand what he went through and that this understanding helps and supports him. Kevin Adams has not made any public statements since Carroll named him as the individual responsible for the assault.