Former England international Andy Carroll has revealed that he was sexually assaulted at his home in 2021, saying the experience had a lasting impact on his personal life and football career.
Carroll, 37, disclosed the incident in his new autobiography, Owning It, which was released on Thursday. He said he decided to make the experience public only after lengthy discussions with his girlfriend, Lou Teasdale, and initially considered leaving the account out of the book.
The incident occurred during Carroll’s second spell with Newcastle United. According to his account, a male acquaintance of his former partner had visited his home to watch a boxing match and planned to stay overnight.
Carroll said he went to bed after becoming uncomfortable during the evening and later woke to find the man sexually assaulting him. He said he threw the man out of the house and struck him when he attempted to return before contacting the police.
The man, whose identity has not been publicly disclosed in the reports, denied the sexual-assault allegation but was subsequently convicted of sexual offences following a trial. He was sentenced to three years in prison, placed on the Sex Offender Register and banned from entering the village where Carroll lived. Carroll gave evidence during the court proceedings.
Carroll described giving evidence in court as humiliating and extremely difficult. He said the experience affected his ability to concentrate and had consequences for different areas of his life, including football.
The former striker said he and Teasdale spent considerable time discussing whether to include the incident in his autobiography. He eventually decided to disclose it because he believed speaking publicly about the experience could help other people who had experienced sexual assault.
Carroll had previously kept the incident largely private. His decision to discuss it publicly means that details of an experience that occurred more than five years ago are now being made known through his own account.
The disclosure also highlights that men can be victims of sexual violence, an issue that is sometimes less visible in public discussions about sexual assault. Carroll's decision to speak about his experience adds to the number of male survivors who have publicly discussed such experiences.
Carroll currently plays for and co-owns National League South club Dagenham & Redbridge. He previously played for Newcastle United, Liverpool, West Ham United and other clubs and won nine caps for England.
The disclosure comes after the conclusion of the criminal case against the man Carroll identified as his attacker. Carroll's account of the assault is therefore accompanied by the documented outcome of the subsequent prosecution.
By making the experience public, Carroll said he hopes his decision to speak about what happened will help others who may have experienced sexual assault and encourage them to recognise that they do not have to remain silent about their experiences.
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