Former England international Andy Carroll's autobiography reveals his harrowing experience.

Former England striker Andy Carroll has revealed for the first time in his recently published autobiography, "Owning It," that he was sexually assaulted by a man while asleep at home during his second stint with Newcastle United in 2021.

Carol, 37, was entitled to lifelong anonymity as a victim of sexual assault. The perpetrator was a friend of her ex-partner who was not home at the time. After the incident, Carol evaded the friend and knocked him unconscious when he tried to return, before choosing to testify in court. The man was ultimately convicted of sexual assault, sentenced to three years in prison, and placed on the sex offenders register.

In his book, Carroll candidly states that his experience testifying in court was shameful, embarrassing, and extremely painful and terrifying. He writes in his autobiography, "I was sexually assaulted, and I finally said it. Just thinking about it is frightening; only a very few people knew about it before."

In addition, Carroll revealed that she had long avoided her publisher, only deciding to go public at the last minute with encouragement from her partner: "Talking about it was horrible, but it shaped who I am today. If speaking out can help even one person, then it's all worth it."

Speaking about the long-term impact of this incident on his career and mental well-being, Carroll said: "This incident has affected every aspect of my life. I think about it every day, which makes it difficult for me to concentrate on anything, including football... The trauma from this experience has not yet subsided."

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