Former England striker Andy Carroll has publicly revealed for the first time that he was sexually assaulted at his home in 2021, saying the experience affected virtually every part of his life and continued to trouble him years later.
Carroll, 37, disclosed the assault in his newly released autobiography, Owning It, after initially struggling with whether to include such a deeply personal experience in the book.
The former Newcastle United and Liverpool forward was legally entitled to anonymity as a victim of sexual assault but chose to waive that right and speak publicly about what happened.
‘I was sexually assaulted’
Carroll said the incident occurred during his second spell at Newcastle United in 2021.
According to his account, a male acquaintance of his then-partner came to his home to watch a boxing match and was expected to stay overnight.
Carroll said he later went to sleep and woke to find the man sexually assaulting him. He forced the man out of the house and said he knocked him unconscious when he attempted to return.
Carroll then contacted the police and recalled breaking down afterwards.
The man subsequently faced criminal proceedings, was convicted of sexual offences and received a three-year prison sentence. He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register.
Giving evidence was ‘absolutely horrendous’
The assault was followed by another difficult experience for Carroll: appearing in court.
He gave evidence during the criminal proceedings and described the process as humiliating and deeply distressing.
Although the perpetrator was ultimately convicted, Carroll said the impact of what happened did not disappear with the court case.
In his autobiography, he explains that the experience repeatedly occupied his thoughts and made concentrating on other aspects of his life — including football — difficult.
“The trauma of what happened to me hasn’t gone away.”
Carroll said the assault affected “every facet” of his life.
Why Carroll decided to speak publicly
Carroll almost left the experience out of Owning It.
He said only a small number of people knew about the assault before the book and that he spent considerable time discussing with his girlfriend, Lou Teasdale, whether he should disclose it publicly.
The decision was made close to publication.
Carroll said speaking about the experience remains frightening, but one consideration ultimately convinced him: his story might help somebody else who has experienced sexual violence.
His disclosure also draws attention to an issue that can sometimes receive less public discussion — men can also be victims of sexual assault, and survivors may struggle for years before feeling able to discuss what happened.
From Premier League striker to Dagenham & Redbridge
Carroll’s disclosure comes more than two decades into a football career that has taken him through the Premier League, international football and, more recently, England’s non-league system.
He came through Newcastle United’s academy before joining Liverpool for £35 million in 2011. He later played for West Ham United and eventually returned to Newcastle for a second spell.
Carroll won nine England caps and scored two international goals, including at Euro 2012.
He is now associated with Dagenham & Redbridge, where he plays and has an ownership role.
But in Owning It, Carroll makes clear that some of the most significant events of those years took place away from the football pitch.
For him, publicly discussing the 2021 assault is not about erasing what happened.
It is about finally telling a story he kept private for years — and hoping that doing so might make it easier for another survivor to speak.
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