TV star Caroline ‘feared for career’
TELEVISION presenter Caroline Flack was “seriously let down by the authorities” and “hounded” by the press over her forthcoming trial in the weeks before she killed herself, her inquest has heard.
The 40-year-old, well known for hosting Love Island and The X Factor, feared her life and career were “falling apart” and she suffered an acute deterioration in her mental health after being charged with assaulting her boyfriend Lewis Burton in December 2019.
She attempted suicide but believed prosecutors would drop the case, the inquest into her death heard.
However, prosecutors said there was public interest in pursuing the “domestic violence” case, and informed her legal team on February 13, 2020.
Flack was said to have met with defence solicitors the following day, and she was found hanged at her home in Stoke Newington, north-east London, on February 15.
Flack’s mother Chris and twin sister Jody both outlined concerns they had about the presenter, accusing the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) of a “show trial” based on her celebrity.
Flack denied the assault but told friends she would rather go to prison than have her private life forensically examined.
Her mother could be seen weeping on video link as her statement was read during the inquest at Poplar Coroner’s Court yesterday.
She said: “I believe Caroline was seriously let down by the authorities and in particular the CPS for pursuing the case. “I believe this was a show trial. “Being well known should not allow special treatment, but should not allow making an example of someone.”
Lisa Ramsarran, a deputy chief Crown prosecutor in north London, told the inquest prosecutors determined the public interest to charge Flack with assault had not been met, on the basis that Flack had made an admission, so they suggested handing her a caution instead.
However, the police appealed, and it was then decided to be in the public interest to authorise a charge of assault by beating.
Ms Ramsarran told the inquest prosecutors looked at Flack’s mental health when the case was first reviewed, including evidence that the television personality selfharmed at the crime scene when she allegedly assaulted Mr Burton.
She was later assessed in the psychiatric unit of a hospital, but told medics she was not suffering from mental health issues at the time, Ms Ramsarran said.
She added: “Her risk was deemed at that time to be ‘low.’”
The inquest heard Mr Burton did not support the prosecution, although Flack’s mother alleged it was he who leaked a blood-stained image of the December crime scene to a former girlfriend, who passed it on to the press.
The inquest was adjourned to conclude today.