Former Reading FC striker Andy Carroll has revealed he was sexually assaulted by a man in 2021.
The 37-year-old former England international has spoken publicly about the incident for the first time in his autobiography, Owning It.
Carroll had two separate spells in Berkshire with the Royals, first joining on a short-term deal in the 2021/22 season before returning in-between a stint with West Brom.
The incident happened at Carroll’s home during his second spell with his hometown club Newcastle United and resulted in the perpetrator being jailed for three years.
Carroll, who is now a player and co-owner of non-league club Dagenham & Redbridge, said he decided to include the incident in his autobiography “at the very last minute” after discussing it with his girlfriend Lou Teasdale.
He said a friend of his former partner, who was away at the time, had come to his home to watch a boxing match and was due to stay overnight.
According to Carroll’s account, the assault happened while he was sleeping.
He said he threw the man out of the house before knocking him unconscious when he attempted to return.
Carroll then called police and said he was “sobbing” in the arms of his children’s nanny.
The unnamed man was subsequently convicted of sexual offences, jailed for three years and placed on the sex offenders’ register.
Carroll gave evidence in court, describing the experience as “humiliating and embarrassing and absolutely horrendous”.
Writing in his autobiography, he said: “I was sexually assaulted, there I said it.”
He explained that only a small number of people had known about what happened before he decided to make it public.
Carroll said he and Teasdale spent considerable time discussing whether the incident should be included in the book.
He added that speaking about what happened was difficult but hoped his decision could help others who had experienced sexual assault.
The former Newcastle, Liverpool and West Ham striker said the incident had affected “every facet” of his life.
He wrote that he thought about it every day and that it made it difficult to focus on things including football.
“The trauma of what happened to me hasn’t gone away,” he said.
Carroll won nine England caps during his career and joined Dagenham & Redbridge in July 2025.
He has made six appearances in the National League South this season.
Carroll was granted automatic anonymity as a victim of sexual assault but has chosen to waive that anonymity by publicly discussing the incident in his autobiography.
