Caroline Flack: Love Island presenter took her own life, inquest rules
Coroner rules television star’s struggles with mental health and assault charge part of reason for suicide
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Former Love Island host Caroline Flack died by suicide after she knew she “was being prosecuted for certainty” when the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) charged her with assault.
Coroner Mary Hassell told her inquest on Thursday she was “satisfied” Ms Flack “intended to cause her own death”.
The television star struggled with her mental health and having her case “played out in the national press … was incredibly difficult for her”, added the coroner.
“I find the reason for her taking her life was she now knew she was being prosecuted for certainty and she knew she would face the media, press, publicity – it would all come down upon her.”
The ruling comes after Ms Flack’s mother, Chris Flack, accused the CPS of making an example of her daughter due to her “celebrity status” during the inquest.
Ms Flack allegedly assaulted her boyfriend Lewis Burton in her home in December. Police attended the scene after Mr Burton called emergency services and said she was trying to kill him.
The inquest heard that police found Ms Flack naked and covered in blood due to a cut on her wrist, with Mr Burton bleeding from a cut to his head. She told officers: “I hit him (Mr Burton), he was cheating on me.”
It was also revealed the Met Police appealed against the CPS’s decision to issue Ms Flack with a caution for the assault.
Detective Inspector Lauren Bateman gave evidence at her inquest in Poplar and said Ms Flack did not make clear what she was admitting to during her police interview later.
Following the Met’s appeal, the CPS reviewed its original decision and then pressed ahead with an assault charge.
During her police interview, Ms Flack told officers she flicked Mr Burton to “wake him up” and that she did not believe she caused his injury, the inquest heard.
The lack of admission meant the case could not be dealt with through a caution, the inquest was told.
Ms Flack met with her lawyers on 14 February when she thought the case might be dropped, but her legal team outlined the CPS’s decision from the day before to go ahead with court action.
Later that night, she took a non-lethal overdose of tablets and told loved ones she was going to kill herself, her friends said on Wednesday.
Some friends went to her flat and called emergency services, which Ms Flack refused. She became angry the next day with her friends for calling an ambulance and therefore risking the episode being made public.
She was found hanged at home in the mid-afternoon.
Ms Flack’s mother told the inquest she believed her daughter was “seriously let down by the authorities” and criticised the CPS for pursuing the case.
“I believe this was a show trial,” she said. “Being well known should not allow special treatment, but it should not allow making an example of someone.”
Dr Jonathan Garabette, a consultant psychiatrist who treated the Love Island host, described how her mental health worsened in December 2019 and said he had concerns about the likely impact of the ongoing court case.
Mr Burton, who withdrew his complaint about Ms Flack, said he did not support the charge and said she “was not in a good place emotionally”.
You can find helpful tips on how to start a conversation or if you are worried about someone on Samaritans website.
You can contact the Samaritans helpline by calling 116 123. The helpline is free and open 24 hours a day every day of the year.
You can also contact Samaritans by emailing jo@samaritans.org. The average response time is 24 hours.
Additional reporting by PA
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments