Andy Carroll thanks public after speaking about sexual assault

Former England striker Andy Carroll has thanked the public for support after speaking openly about being sexually assaulted by a man.

Carroll, 37, told the Football Uncensored podcast the response had been overwhelming. He said he feared he would never fully recover from the trauma of the incident, according to BBC Sport.

The assault happened at his home in 2021, during his second spell with Newcastle United. Carroll said he was asleep at the time. His former partner was away.

The attacker was a friend of his former partner. Carroll said he threw the man out of the house. He then knocked him unconscious when the man tried to get back inside.

Carroll has now named the man as television dance coach Kevin Adams in an interview with The Sun. Adams was a dance instructor on the BBC series Fame Academy in 2002, and has not commented publicly since Carroll named him.

The man was jailed for 20 months in 2023 after being convicted of sexual offences. As a victim of sexual assault, Carroll was automatically granted anonymity, as reported by ESPN. He has chosen to speak publicly.

Carroll described the assault in his autobiography, titled 'Owning It'. In a post on Instagram in late September, he said he had been blown away by the response and support, which he never expected.

What makes this stand out is Carroll's decision to put his own name to a painful story. Many footballers stay silent after such experiences. He said he wanted to talk in the hope it might help others.

Carroll previously played for Liverpool and West Ham. He is now a player and co-owner of National League South side Dagenham.