Former England striker Andy Carroll has publicly identified television dance instructor Kevin Adams as the man convicted of sexually assaulting him in 2019, saying that naming his abuser will finally allow him to put the chapter behind him.
Carroll, 37, first described the attack in his autobiography Owning It, which was released without naming the man involved. Adams, 59, was convicted at Chelmsford Crown Court in November 2023 and jailed for 20 months. After discovering that Adams's name had appeared in publicly available court documents, Carroll confirmed the identity and said he hoped he could finally start to put the chapter behind him.
The former Newcastle United, Liverpool and England forward said the incident happened after he had gone to bed early following a match. He woke to find Adams, a former BBC Fame Academy dance coach, attempting to perform a sex act on him as he slept under the bedsheets. Carroll threw him out of the house and, when Adams refused to leave the property, punched him unconscious before calling the police.
Adams attempted at trial to cast himself as the victim. He told police he had been attacked without provocation and claimed he had only been at Carroll's home to help out while Carroll's wife was away. The judge rejected that account entirely, telling Adams he had spun an incredible tale in which he painted himself as the victim, and had started to believe his own lies. He was placed on the sex offenders register and banned from Carroll's village.
Carroll described giving evidence at the trial as humiliating and horrendous, and said the attack had a devastating impact on his life and his loved ones. He asked that people not share pictures of his abuser alongside him, saying he did not want to keep seeing his face or being reminded of him every time the story was spoken about. He said he was ready to move forward.
The BBC connection has added to the shock surrounding the case. Adams appeared as a coach on BBC1's Fame Academy in 2002 and later featured on Strictly It Takes Two in 2021, building a career as a choreographer and fitness instructor who worked with major pop stars. The contrast between his public persona as a trusted television professional and the crimes for which he was jailed has appalled many who remember him from the shows.
Carroll's decision to speak out has drawn praise from those who work with survivors of sexual assault, who say high-profile disclosures can encourage others to come forward. Male victims in particular can face additional barriers to reporting, and campaigners hope his candour will help challenge the stigma. For Carroll himself, the hope is simpler: that by naming Kevin Adams, he can finally close one of the darkest chapters of his life.