Andy Carroll, the former England international and accomplished striker, has revealed in his autobiography that he was sexually assaulted by a male celebrity five years ago. The incident took place at Carroll’s home following a Newcastle United match, an event that he describes as profoundly traumatic and one that continues to affect his life.

Carroll, who currently co-owns and plays for Dagenham and Redbridge, detailed the assault in his book *Owning It*, which was released recently. According to Carroll, the attacker was a “celebrity mate” of his former partner, widely understood to be his ex-wife Billi Mucklow, known for her role on *The Only Way Is Essex*. Carroll wrote that the man had invited himself to their home to watch a boxing match, but he had always sensed there was “something odd about him.”

After feeling uncomfortable during the visit and experiencing light-headedness following several drinks, Carroll decided to go to bed early. He said he awoke to find the man attempting to perform oral sex on him. Carroll managed to eject the attacker from his home, but after the man tried to re-enter, Carroll said he struck him, knocking him unconscious. He then called the police and said he broke down in tears in the arms of his children’s nanny.

The attacker denied the allegations but was subsequently charged and tried in court, with Carroll providing testimony. Carroll described the legal process as “humiliating and embarrassing and absolutely horrendous.” The man was ultimately convicted of sexual offences, sentenced to three years in prison, registered on the National Sex Offender Register, and prohibited from entering Carroll’s village.

Carroll emphasized the lasting impact of the assault, writing that the experience “affected every facet” of his life and made it difficult to focus on daily activities, including football. He said the trauma persists, stating, “The trauma of what happened to me hasn’t gone away.”

The former Newcastle and Liverpool forward revealed that disclosing the assault in his autobiography was a difficult decision made only after discussions with his current girlfriend, Lou Teasdale. Carroll acknowledged the fears around revealing such a personal ordeal, adding that sharing his story could help others facing similar experiences.

“I was sexually assaulted, there I said it,” Carroll wrote. “Scary to even think about and only a few people knew about it before now. Me and Lou spent a lot of time discussing whether to mention it in this book. I avoided my publisher for so long that they probably suspected I got cold feet. Scary to talk about but it’s made the person I am today as much as any of the good stuff. And if me talking about it helps just one person then good it will have been worth it."

During his professional career, Carroll has played for nine clubs and was part of England’s squad for the 2012 European Championship.