The 37-year-old footballer, who was automatically granted anonymity as a victim of sexual assault, has chosen to publicly discuss the incident in his autobiography, Owning It.
The assault happened at Carroll's home during his second spell with hometown club Newcastle. The man responsible was later convicted of sexual offences and sentenced to three years in prison.
Carroll, who is now a player and co-owner of non-league side Dagenham & Redbridge, said he decided to include the experience in his autobiography at the last minute after discussing it with his girlfriend, Lou Teasdale.
At the time, a friend of Carroll's former partner, who was away, had visited the house to watch a boxing match and was planning to stay overnight.
Carroll said the assault happened while he was asleep. He then forced the man out of the house and knocked him unconscious when he attempted to return.
The former Newcastle, Liverpool and West Ham striker contacted police following the incident. He recalled being overwhelmed by what had happened and "sobbing" in the arms of his children's nanny.
The attacker was subsequently convicted of sexual offences and placed on the sex offenders' register. Carroll gave evidence during the court proceedings, which he described as a deeply difficult experience.
He said testifying was "humiliating and embarrassing and absolutely horrendous."
In his autobiography, Carroll explained that only a small number of people knew about the assault before he decided to speak publicly about it.
He said he and Teasdale spent considerable time discussing whether the incident should be included in the book before ultimately deciding to share his story.
Carroll also explained why he felt it was important to speak about what happened. He said the experience had contributed to shaping the person he is today and hoped that sharing it could help someone else who had experienced something similar.
The former England international, who earned nine caps for his country, said the assault affected every part of his life. He revealed that he thought about it every day, making it difficult to concentrate on other aspects of his life, including football.
Carroll added that the trauma had not disappeared despite the passage of time.
Carroll joined Dagenham & Redbridge in July 2025 and has made six appearances for the club in the National League South this season.
