Andy Carroll Names Kevin Adams as Abuser After Court Identification
Andy Carroll has publicly confirmed Kevin Adams as the man who abused him after Adams was identified in court papers, saying he hopes the disclosure will allow him to begin putting a devastating period behind him.
The former England striker said the experience had caused serious damage to both his life and those close to him, and had left him struggling to concentrate on football.
What Carroll revealed
- Carroll said Adams, a former dance coach on the BBC programme Fame Academy, came to his home after a match to watch boxing.
- He said he became lightheaded after Adams prepared drinks.
- In his book, Owning It, Carroll described waking to find Adams under the duvet and said he immediately forced him from the house before calling police and his nanny.
- Carroll said he feared, in the immediate aftermath, that Adams may have been seriously injured during the confrontation.
- Police later informed Carroll that Adams had been convicted.
Conviction and response
Adams was convicted of sexual offences at Chelmsford Crown Court and received a prison sentence. He was also put on the Sex Offender Register and barred from entering the village where Carroll lived.
Carroll said making his account public had been an exceptionally difficult process, particularly because identifying an abuser can bring major emotional consequences. But he said being able to tell the story in his own words had helped him regain control.
He has received extensive messages of support from other male survivors. Carroll said those responses underlined the importance of men speaking about abuse when they feel ready, and he hopes his experience encourages other survivors to seek help.
What happens next
Carroll remains a player for National League South club Dagenham & Redbridge.
Away from the pitch, he is due to face a separate trial next January after pleading not guilty to an allegation of breaching a non-molestation order.
