Yahoo News Prosecutors wanted to caution Caroline Flack following assault but police appealed, inquest is told
Prosecutors initially wanted to caution Caroline Flack for attacking her boyfriend, but the Metropolitan Police appealed the decision meaning she was charged with assault, an inquest into her death has been told
But her inquest was told prosecutors had initially decided to let her off with a caution, until the police intervened and asked for the case to be reconsidered.
Miss Flack, who hosted popular TV shows including Love Island and X-Factor, was arrested in the early hours of December 12 last year, after allegedly hitting her boyfriend Lewis Burton over the head with a lamp or mobile phone.
Lisa Ramsarran, deputy chief Crown prosecutor for north London, told the inquest that while there had been enough evidence to charge her, it was felt a caution would be more appropriate, because she had admitted the offence.
But she went on: ”I understand the police did not feel this (a caution) was a suitable disposal in this case."
Ms Ramsarran explained that the police asked the decision to be reviewed and it was then Miss Flack was charged with assault by beating and summoned to appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court on December 23.
Miss Flack’s mother, Chris and twin sister, Jody, who gave evidence via video link, said she had been “seriously let down by the authorities” and revealed that she had tried to take her own life the night before she was due in court.
Her mother wept as she told the coroner it had felt like she was being subjected to a "show trial” and pursued because of her fame.
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.”
Jody said her sister had been so worried about appearing in court that she believed she had tried to take her own life the night before.
She told the inquest: "I believe the shame... was too much to deal with. Her life and reputation she worked hard to build was falling apart... because of a false accusation.
"It was our belief it would not be happening to her if she wasn't in the public eye. At worst, her career and reputation, so precious to her, had been taken away."
Brian Wells, a doctor called to Flack's hotel room the night before her first court appearance, said Flack was inebriated and had apparently "taken a small overdose”.
Mollie Grosberg, a close friend of Miss Flack said her mental health deteriorated the more famous she got. She said: "Increasingly over the last few years she had a lot of heartache and the press seemed to pick up a lot on her. She was very sad all the time.
"Normally the kind of person she was, she could pick herself up. But she couldn't after December ... she lost who she was and she couldn't get it back."
The inquest also heard how Miss Flack had been devastated when a photograph showing the blood stained interior of her flat where the alleged assault took place appeared in the tabloid press.
Her mother said the image had been sent by Mr Lewis to a former girlfriend who had in turned passed it on to the press.
In his witness statement, Mr Burton, a former tennis professional and model, said Miss Flack had been “very upset” the last time he saw her alive.
He said: "She was very upset, in fact devastated, she was not in a good place emotionally. Sometimes she talked about taking her own life when she was extremely upset.”
He went on: "What was worrying her most was the police case and losing her presenting job on Love Island, plus not being able to see me."
The coroner was told that as despite Mr Burton pleading with the CPS to drop the case, Miss Flack was told the trial would go ahead increasing concern amongst her family for her mental state.
Friends said the presenter had sent them a message the night before she died saying she was going to kill herself.
When they arrived at her flat they found her on the sofa having taken some tablets and called paramedics.
Miss Grosberg said the medics had asked Miss Flack if she had attempted suicide but she insisted she had not, telling them she just “had a headache".
The inquest continues.
