Andy Carroll arrested in London, faces up to 5 years in jail | OneFootball

The shadow of legal troubles looms over Andy Carroll. The former English international, one of the most debated and expensive strikers in the Premier League over the last two decades, is the player arrested in April 2025 at London's Stansted Airport.

Andy Carroll in trouble with the law: the former Premier League striker arrested in London, facing up to 5 years in prison

After months of secrecy, the name and charges are now official: Carroll faces a sentence of up to five years in prison.

The arrest at Stansted and the formal charges

The case only became public in July, when the British press vaguely referred to a "former English international" stopped by the police. For legal reasons, the identity was not disclosed until the charges were formalized in recent hours.

The news was confirmed by the Essex police, who stated: “A man has been arrested for violating a restraining order. This is Andrew Carroll, 36, stopped on April 27 for matters related to an incident that occurred in March.”

The authorities have not provided further details on the content of the restraining order or the nature of the alleged violation. These elements will determine the potential prison sentence, which in the most severe cases can reach up to five years.

The arrest at the airport and the return from France

According to the Sun, Carroll was arrested while returning to England from France, where he had played in Ligue 2 with Amiens the previous season. At the passport control at Stansted, the former striker was reportedly asked to step out of line, held for a few minutes, and subsequently arrested by officers.

The scene unfolded in front of numerous passengers, many of whom recognized him, drawing curiosity and media attention at one of the UK's busiest airports.

A recent off-field incident

This is not the only recent off-field incident involving Carroll. Just last month, in an unrelated case, the former English international paid a fine of about 1,200 euros for filming an anti-immigration protest with his phone while driving, violating road safety regulations.

The career: from record with Liverpool to semi-professional football

The contrast between past and present is stark. Andy Carroll played 248 games in the Premier League, scoring 54 goals in 14 seasons in the top English league. His debut dates back to February 25, 2007, with Newcastle, a club with which he had already tasted European football on November 2, 2006, curiously in Palermo, in the UEFA Cup group stages.

The peak of his career came in the 2010-11 season, ending with 13 goals overall between Newcastle and Liverpool. It was his transfer to the Reds in January 2011 that made him the subject of a historic record: 35 million pounds, the highest amount ever spent by Liverpool for a British player at the time.

A physical striker, an aerial game specialist, Carroll also earned 9 caps with the English national team, scoring two goals. One of these came at the 2012 European Championship, a competition that represents the pinnacle of his experience with the "Three Lions."

After stints with West Ham and a return to Newcastle, his career took a downward trajectory. In the current season, he plays for Dagenham & Redbridge, a club in the sixth tier of English football, far from the stages that once made him one of the most recognizable faces in British football.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.