Ashley Cole: Terror on my children’s faces during robbery will never leave me

Cole told police he thought 'now I am going to die' as he recalled how the masked raiders tied his hands behind his back despite him holding his young daughter

Ashley Cole and his family were tied up in a raid on their home (PA)

Former England footballer Ashley Cole has said the “terror and confusion” on his children’s faces when a gang of men smashed their way into his home, tied him up and threatened to cut off his fingers “will never leave me”.

Ex-Arsenal, Chelsea and Derby defender Cole’s personal statement was read out at Nottingham Crown Court as a judge prepared to jail one of the men involved in the raid in January 2020, during which the player thought he was going to die.