Former England and Premier League striker Andy Carroll has revealed that he was sexually assaulted in 2021. Writing in his new autobiography, Owning It, the 37-year-old detailed how an acquaintance of his former partner invited himself over to watch a boxing match following a game Carroll played for Newcastle United.
Carroll went to sleep early and later woke up to find the visitor attempting to assault him under his bedsheets. The footballer forced the intruder out of the house, knocked him unconscious when he attempted to force his way back inside and immediately called the police.
Legal justice and court trial
Law enforcement subsequently arrested the perpetrator and charged him with sexual offenses. Although the suspect denied the allegations, a jury found him guilty following a court trial in which Carroll testified.
Carroll described giving evidence in court as a “humiliating and horrendous” process. The attacker was sentenced to three years in prison, placed on the Sex Offenders Register and issued a restraining order preventing him from entering Carroll’s village.
Breaking the silence to help others
In his memoir, Carroll admitted he deliberated for a long time with his partner before deciding to publicly share his story. He explained that the ongoing trauma heavily impacted his daily life and focus on football.
However, the striker chose to include the account in hopes of empowering other male victims of sexual violence to speak out and seek help.
