Nocturnal 
Andy Carroll has publicly confirmed that former Fame Academy dance coach Kevin Adams is the man who sexually assaulted him, after Adams’s name emerged in court documents.
The former Newcastle United and England striker first revealed he had been sexually assaulted by a “celebrity pal” in his new memoir, Owning It: In My Own Words, but did not name his attacker at the time. According to The Sun, an investigation subsequently established that the man involved was Kevin Adams, best known for coaching contestants on the short-lived BBC talent show Fame Academy.
Carroll, 37, confirmed the identity once he learned Adams had already been named in court records. “Now that Kevin Adams has been named in court documents as my abuser, I can confirm it,” he told The Sun. “Hopefully now I can finally start to put this chapter behind me.”
What happened
In his memoir, Carroll wrote that he had gone to bed after having a few drinks when he woke up to find Adams sexually assaulting him. Carroll says he reacted immediately and called the police. Reports on the incident differ slightly on the year it took place, with some citing 2019 and others 2021, so the exact date is not entirely clear from available accounts.
Adams was convicted of sexually assaulting Carroll following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court in September 2023. He was jailed for 20 months, placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years, and ordered to stay away from the village where Carroll was living at the time.
During the trial, Adams reportedly claimed he was the one who had been assaulted, and said he had only been at Carroll’s home to “help out” while Carroll’s wife was away. Sentencing him, Judge Mary Loram told Adams: “You spun a literally incredible tale in which you painted yourself as the victim… it seems to me that you’ve actually started to believe your own lies.”
The impact on Carroll
Carroll has spoken candidly about the toll the ordeal took on him, describing giving evidence in court as “humiliating and horrendous”. In his book, he wrote that the assault “affected every facet of my life”, adding that he found it difficult to focus on anything, including football, and that the trauma “hasn’t gone away”.
Now that Adams has been named, Carroll has asked that people avoid repeatedly sharing images of his abuser alongside his own. “I don’t want to keep seeing his face or being reminded of him every time this story is spoken about,” he said. “I’m ready to move forward. This had a devastating impact on my life and loved ones.”
Adams is understood to have set his social media accounts to private since the story broke. LADbible says it has approached representatives for both Carroll and Adams for further comment.
Where things stand
Adams has already served his custodial sentence and remains on the sex offenders register. Carroll, meanwhile, says he hopes going public with his abuser’s identity will allow him to finally move past one of the most difficult chapters of his life.
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A recent photo of Andy Carroll alone, such as from a football match or public appearance, without Kevin Adams pictured alongside him, in line with Carroll’s own request.
Andy Carroll has confirmed that former Fame Academy dance coach Kevin Adams was the man convicted of sexually assaulting him.
true
Sensitive crime/sexual assault story — factual, respectful tone used throughout; no graphic detail included. Flag for Meta monetisation sensitivity review.
[“Andy Carroll”, “Newcastle United footballer”, “Chelmsford Crown Court”, “football fans stadium”]
[“Exact year of the assault is disputed between sources (2019 vs 2021) and should be verified before publication”, “Confirm correct spelling and current status of Kevin Adams’s sex offenders register order”, “Verify Judge Mary Loram’s exact quote wording against court transcript if available”]
