Kevin Adams, a former celebrity dance teacher, was sentenced to 20 months in prison in November 2023 for sexually assaulting former England footballer Andy Carroll in 2021. Despite the high-profile nature of the case, Adams’ conviction remained unknown to his immediate family until recently.

Adams’ youngest daughter, Avia, 21, who works in the beauty and hospitality sector, spoke publicly for the first time about her father’s conviction. She described him as a “monster” and expressed sympathy for Carroll, praising the footballer’s courage for coming forward. Avia confirmed that neither she nor her mother and sister were informed about Adams’ guilty verdict until a few weeks ago. She said she would apologize to Carroll if given the chance and condemned her father’s actions as “disgusting.”

Adams, 59, had maintained a public profile in the entertainment industry for years, working as a dancer and choreographer with notable performers such as Sir Elton John, Mariah Carey, and the Spice Girls. He also appeared on the BBC’s Fame Academy in the early 2000s and was involved in productions linked to Comic Relief and Disney’s High School Musical. Adams previously ran a performing arts academy and was known locally in Essex for teaching dance and fitness classes, including at a hot yoga studio owned by former television personality Billi Mucklow, who later married Carroll.

Avia recounted aspects of her childhood and youth growing up in Essex while her father pursued his career, including attending premieres and shows and sharing holidays with celebrity friends. Her parents married in 2005, with Avia and her elder sister born in 2003 and 2004 respectively. The family split in 2011, and Avia recalled spending weekends at Adams’ home, where she witnessed some unsettling behavior involving men frequently visiting.

Though Adams’ wider family, including his mother, sister, and cousins, were reportedly aware of the case, Avia and her immediate family remained uninformed. She also revealed that Adams had concealed his true age from them for years, leading her to believe he was in his 40s rather than late 50s.

Adams was convicted at Chelmsford Crown Court in September 2023. Before the conviction was publicized, Carroll disclosed in his autobiography the assault he endured, initially without naming Adams. Carroll, now 37 and playing for Dagenham & Redbridge, described waking to the attack under the covers. Following Carroll’s disclosure, Adams’ identity was confirmed through publicly available court documents.

Avia said she and her sister had anticipated that some troubling news would emerge about their father. She described experiencing a mix of emotions upon learning the truth, including sadness and anger, and said she had since ceased contact with Adams and planned to change her surname.