Caroline Flack

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On the evening of Dec 11 last year, Caroline Flack, the popular TV presenter, and her boyfriend, Lewis Burton, a former tennis professional, enjoyed a romantic dinner together at the Soho restaurant, Bob Bob Ricard.

To the other diners present the couple appeared happy, carefree and engrossed in one another's company.

Despite Flack's chequered relationship history, and the fact the couple had only been together since July, friends of the 40-year-old were becoming increasingly confident that she had finally found the man she would marry.

Professionally, things were also in the ascendancy, with Love Island - the reality show she hosted - enjoying runaway success and about to launch its first winter season.

But within a few short hours Flack’s life had unravelled and a chain of events began that would ultimately culminate in her tragic suicide.


In the early hours of the morning, while Burton was asleep, Flack began examining his mobile phone, becoming enraged when she discovered text messages that he had received from another woman.

The exchanges - which involved a woman in her 60s - were entirely innocent, but Flack, who had battled depression and anxiety issues, exploded, convinced Burton was cheating on her.

Launching herself at her still sleeping boyfriend, she hit him over the head with a table lamp and threw his mobile phone at him.

After flipping over a table, Flack also cut herself on a glass, receiving a deep wound to her arm.

Burton, who is 6ft 3in tall, was unable to restrain his 5ft 3in girlfriend or calm her down, and at 5.25am made a 999 call asking for the police.

He told the call handler: "She tried to kill me, mate. She's going mad, breaking stuff. She almost cracked my head open."

The call handler noted that in the background, Flack could be heard screaming: "You ruined my life."

In a sign of just how seriously the report was taken, the first police officer arrived at the flat in the Barnsbury area of Islington, within eight minutes.

The door of the ground floor flat was answered by Flack and Burton, pictured below in a previous Instagram post.

According to the officer, both were covered in blood.


In his notes the officer likened the scene to "something out of a horror movie".

Flack was still extremely irate and had to be restrained by officers, who were fitted with body worn cameras recording the whole interaction.

Flack was arrested on suspicion of assault and paramedics were also called to the scene.

After assessing both of them, it was decided Flack ought to be taken to hospital for treatment to her wound.

While under caution she allegedly admitted the attack and told officers that she would "kill herself".

The following day, on Friday Dec 13, after consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, Flack was charged with assault by beating and summoned to appear before Highbury Magistrates’ Court on the day before Christmas Eve.

She was released on bail with the condition that she was not to contact Mr Burton.

Professionally, the incident could not have come at a worse time, with Flack preparing to fly out to South Africa for the launch of the new series of Love Island which was starting on Jan 8.

Executives from ITV held a series of meetings over the weekend and on Monday Dec 16, Flack agreed to stand down as host of the programme she loved.

According to friends she was devastated at losing the £600,000-a-year role, but was also deeply hurt by what she perceived as a lack of support from the television company to which she had been so loyal.

In the fortnight before her appearance in court, Flack and Burton remained in a relationship – even though they were not supposed to contact one another – and he made it clear to the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) that he did not wish to press charges.

But with prosecutors under constant pressure to demonstrate how seriously they take allegations of domestic violence, they refused to drop the case.

On Dec 23, a tearful Flack appeared at Highbury Magistrates' Court to face one charge of assault by beating, a relatively low-level offence that carries a maximum six-month prison sentence.

Burton attended the short hearing to offer his support, and Flack's lawyer told the court: "He does not support this prosecution, has never supported this prosecution and has strong feelings about the hearing this morning. He was never a victim, as it were, he was a witness.”

The lawyer also pleaded with the District Judge to grant Flack unconditional bail so that she could see Mr Burton, telling him: "They are still in a relationship. It’s Christmas, its New Year, Miss Flack has suffered enough from this prosecution and she needs people around her."

The application was not granted and Flack was ordered to undergo a risk assessment before the next court hearing set for March 4.

Flack's Islington flat was put on the market and she moved into a London hotel, telling friends she no longer felt safe at home.

Given her history of anxiety and depression, those closest to her were concerned as to whether she would be able to cope with such a fall from grace.
The trial, and her biggest fear

On Christmas Day she volunteered at a charity in east London that was putting on a lunch for socially isolated people.

While understandably worried about the legal case, she was more anxious about watching the new series of Love Island, which was going ahead without her and was now being hosted by her friend Laura Whitmore.

At one point she considered checking in to a £15,000 a week retreat in Thailand in order to escape the pressure, but instead, with New Year looming she jetted to Los Angeles.

According to friends she spent her time in the US hiking, visiting the gym and getting her life back on track.

Despite still being banned from contacting Burton, he posted messages on social media, pledging his love and support.

She returned to London at the end of January and moved into a new flat in a converted school in Stoke Newington, east London.

Just last week she was pictured laughing with a friend at a local climbing wall near her home. She also visited Barcelona with a friend, pictured above, where she was said to be in good spirits.

Friends, family and members of her loyal management team reassured her that she would overcome whatever lay ahead and they were increasingly confident that the CPS would not press ahead with the case.

But on Valentine's Day came the news she had been dreading, that despite Mr Burton's refusal to cooperate with the case, the CPS were going ahead with the trial.

The hearing was listed to take place on March 4, but Flack was terrified about the prospect of standing trial.

According to sources, her biggest fear was that the body worn camera footage from the officer who arrested her would be broadcast, showing her at her worst.

Concerned for her welfare, one of her closest friends, Lou Teasdale, a celebrity hair stylist pictured with Flack above, offered to stay with her for a few days.

On Friday at 10.30pm paramedics were called to the flat amid concern over Flack's welfare.

But following an assessment by crews it was decided there was no need to admit her to hospital.

The following morning, assured that there was nothing more to worry about, Miss Teasdale was persuaded to leave the flat and pop to the shops.

When she returned a short time later she was unable to get back into the flat and called friends who managed to gain entry.

They found her unresponsive and after calling paramedics Flack was pronounced dead at the scene.
This is nothing different that what is already out there.
 
If celebrities truly want this to stop there’s a simple solution: stop agreeing to interviews with anyone who works, or has ever worked, at certain tabloids who instigated a witch-hunt, no one would want to work for them or be associated with them anymore as they’ll never get decent scoops. Likewise we as the public can stop using those tabloids websites and apps, less views and clicks means less money headed their way, which means fewer resources to pursue and attack celebs with.
I couldn't agree more

The papers should stop buying the crappy pictures that the celebs, who are all outraged are clearly selling to the media!

There are big high profile stars that you never see or hear abou, they wear the dark glasses and stay away from the publicity.

I do think the tabloid press are crappy and sensationalist, the sidebar of shame in the Daily Fail is terrible....but many of those celebs need these papers to stay relevant, they sell their location and pictures themselves.
I just don't think it's a simple solution.
 
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This is potentially going to end up as a back and forth, I don't want it to look like I want the last word and then to shut it down but....

I do know that the footage would have backed up the prosecution. The body camera footage captured the injury on the victim's head, it would be down to the defence to show that this injury was not caused by her.
The 999 call has the victim stating "she has cracked my head open. She tried to kill me mate."
The body camera footage also shows her being disruptive to the point she is restrained on the ground.

All of that is absolute gold dust for the prosecution, and backs up their case.
She breached her bail conditions to contact him, sending him a message via social media saying that she loved him. For anyone with any experience of domestic abuse, this is quite a common red flag. If I was already looking at someone for DA prosecution, something like that would further strengthen my evidence.

I also notice that when the victim stated he didn't want to seek prosecution, he stated "She did not hit me with a lamp", what did she hit you with then?
You’re right, this is a back and forth. Keep thinking what you want if it makes you happy. Personally, I don’t think there are enough facts and evidence in the public domain at the moment for any of us to draw any conclusions either way. That was what the trial was for and it’s not going to happen now. Maybe the inquest will answer some of those questions but right now I feel that anyone who thinks they know what happened for sure must be basing it on an element of speculation or deduction.
 
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On the evening of Dec 11 last year, Caroline Flack, the popular TV presenter, and her boyfriend, Lewis Burton, a former tennis professional, enjoyed a romantic dinner together at the Soho restaurant, Bob Bob Ricard.

To the other diners present the couple appeared happy, carefree and engrossed in one another's company.

Despite Flack's chequered relationship history, and the fact the couple had only been together since July, friends of the 40-year-old were becoming increasingly confident that she had finally found the man she would marry.

Professionally, things were also in the ascendancy, with Love Island - the reality show she hosted - enjoying runaway success and about to launch its first winter season.

But within a few short hours Flack’s life had unravelled and a chain of events began that would ultimately culminate in her tragic suicide.


In the early hours of the morning, while Burton was asleep, Flack began examining his mobile phone, becoming enraged when she discovered text messages that he had received from another woman.

The exchanges - which involved a woman in her 60s - were entirely innocent, but Flack, who had battled depression and anxiety issues, exploded, convinced Burton was cheating on her.

Launching herself at her still sleeping boyfriend, she hit him over the head with a table lamp and threw his mobile phone at him.

After flipping over a table, Flack also cut herself on a glass, receiving a deep wound to her arm.

Burton, who is 6ft 3in tall, was unable to restrain his 5ft 3in girlfriend or calm her down, and at 5.25am made a 999 call asking for the police.

He told the call handler: "She tried to kill me, mate. She's going mad, breaking stuff. She almost cracked my head open."

The call handler noted that in the background, Flack could be heard screaming: "You ruined my life."

In a sign of just how seriously the report was taken, the first police officer arrived at the flat in the Barnsbury area of Islington, within eight minutes.

The door of the ground floor flat was answered by Flack and Burton, pictured below in a previous Instagram post.

According to the officer, both were covered in blood.


In his notes the officer likened the scene to "something out of a horror movie".

Flack was still extremely irate and had to be restrained by officers, who were fitted with body worn cameras recording the whole interaction.

Flack was arrested on suspicion of assault and paramedics were also called to the scene.

After assessing both of them, it was decided Flack ought to be taken to hospital for treatment to her wound.

While under caution she allegedly admitted the attack and told officers that she would "kill herself".

The following day, on Friday Dec 13, after consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, Flack was charged with assault by beating and summoned to appear before Highbury Magistrates’ Court on the day before Christmas Eve.

She was released on bail with the condition that she was not to contact Mr Burton.

Professionally, the incident could not have come at a worse time, with Flack preparing to fly out to South Africa for the launch of the new series of Love Island which was starting on Jan 8.

Executives from ITV held a series of meetings over the weekend and on Monday Dec 16, Flack agreed to stand down as host of the programme she loved.

According to friends she was devastated at losing the £600,000-a-year role, but was also deeply hurt by what she perceived as a lack of support from the television company to which she had been so loyal.

In the fortnight before her appearance in court, Flack and Burton remained in a relationship – even though they were not supposed to contact one another – and he made it clear to the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) that he did not wish to press charges.

But with prosecutors under constant pressure to demonstrate how seriously they take allegations of domestic violence, they refused to drop the case.

On Dec 23, a tearful Flack appeared at Highbury Magistrates' Court to face one charge of assault by beating, a relatively low-level offence that carries a maximum six-month prison sentence.

Burton attended the short hearing to offer his support, and Flack's lawyer told the court: "He does not support this prosecution, has never supported this prosecution and has strong feelings about the hearing this morning. He was never a victim, as it were, he was a witness.”

The lawyer also pleaded with the District Judge to grant Flack unconditional bail so that she could see Mr Burton, telling him: "They are still in a relationship. It’s Christmas, its New Year, Miss Flack has suffered enough from this prosecution and she needs people around her."

The application was not granted and Flack was ordered to undergo a risk assessment before the next court hearing set for March 4.

Flack's Islington flat was put on the market and she moved into a London hotel, telling friends she no longer felt safe at home.

Given her history of anxiety and depression, those closest to her were concerned as to whether she would be able to cope with such a fall from grace.
The trial, and her biggest fear

On Christmas Day she volunteered at a charity in east London that was putting on a lunch for socially isolated people.

While understandably worried about the legal case, she was more anxious about watching the new series of Love Island, which was going ahead without her and was now being hosted by her friend Laura Whitmore.

At one point she considered checking in to a £15,000 a week retreat in Thailand in order to escape the pressure, but instead, with New Year looming she jetted to Los Angeles.

According to friends she spent her time in the US hiking, visiting the gym and getting her life back on track.

Despite still being banned from contacting Burton, he posted messages on social media, pledging his love and support.

She returned to London at the end of January and moved into a new flat in a converted school in Stoke Newington, east London.

Just last week she was pictured laughing with a friend at a local climbing wall near her home. She also visited Barcelona with a friend, pictured above, where she was said to be in good spirits.

Friends, family and members of her loyal management team reassured her that she would overcome whatever lay ahead and they were increasingly confident that the CPS would not press ahead with the case.

But on Valentine's Day came the news she had been dreading, that despite Mr Burton's refusal to cooperate with the case, the CPS were going ahead with the trial.

The hearing was listed to take place on March 4, but Flack was terrified about the prospect of standing trial.

According to sources, her biggest fear was that the body worn camera footage from the officer who arrested her would be broadcast, showing her at her worst.

Concerned for her welfare, one of her closest friends, Lou Teasdale, a celebrity hair stylist pictured with Flack above, offered to stay with her for a few days.

On Friday at 10.30pm paramedics were called to the flat amid concern over Flack's welfare.

But following an assessment by crews it was decided there was no need to admit her to hospital.

The following morning, assured that there was nothing more to worry about, Miss Teasdale was persuaded to leave the flat and pop to the shops.

When she returned a short time later she was unable to get back into the flat and called friends who managed to gain entry.

They found her unresponsive and after calling paramedics Flack was pronounced dead at the scene.
Thank you for posting . I feel so sad that they wanted to continue with a show trial and how bloody harsh those bail conditions were. Yes yes I know it normal circs if that was a female who had been cracked over the head and it wasn’t Caroline we would react differently but it wasn’t a female who was hit and it was Caroline and I wish it could’ve been different
 
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I’m not quoting that telegraph article, but I’d like to know why isn’t there more accountability within the police service? Why has the DT got access to this officer’s notes? Is there a financial incentive to said officer; which, if so, breaks professional standards?

These details becoming public prior to the trial and verdict would surely have prejudiced the case against Caroline. It’s not enough for a judge to tell the jury to ignore everything they may have read is it, as their minds will clearly already have been made up. Surely it would be obvious to their superiors who the officer is that leaked these notes to the press? Was the Levenson enquiry all for naught? Trial by media

Apologies for all the questions, to think our justice system is lauded as being the envy of the world. I don’t bloody think so 😡
 
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