Entertainment
Caroline Flack: Met Police to reinvestigate decision to charge star with assaulting boyfriend
Police are to reinvestigate the circumstances leading up to the decision to charge Caroline Flack with assaulting her boyfriend.
The TV presenter died in February 2020, with a coroner saying she took her own life after discovering she was definitely going to be prosecuted.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had recommended she only get a caution but this was overturned after London’s Metropolitan Police appealed.
Flack, 40, was ultimately charged with assault by beating over the incident, which involved her boyfriend, Lewis Burton, in December 2019.
Metropolitan Police has now said it’s making “further enquiries” because “new witness evidence may be available” about officers’ actions in appealing the CPS decision.
The former Love Island host’s mother told the Daily Mirror: “We won’t stop until we get the truth.
“Something very unusual happened to Carrie at the police station that night, but no one kept a proper record explaining why.
“I have now made a complaint to compel the officer to give the statement we think he should have given four years ago.
“As a family, we have been left with important unanswered questions.”
An inquest heard Flack was worried about the publicity a trial would bring. Pic: AP
Met Police said it had referred a complaint from Flack’s family to the police watchdog, the IOPC, on 7 March.
“The IOPC decided the majority of the matters had previously been dealt with and no further action was required,” said a Met statement.
“The IOPC returned one aspect of the complaint back to the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) to consider further.
“This relates to the actions of officers in appealing an initial decision by the Crown Prosecution Service not to charge Ms Flack, and because new witness evidence may be available.
“DPS officers are now making further enquiries in relation to this.”
Olly Murs (pictured with Flack in 2012) will headline the Flackstock festival in July. Pic: AP
It isn’t the first time investigations into the Flack case have been carried out.
The DPS previously found there was no misconduct, prompting another complaint from Flack’s family to the IOPC.
It also didn’t find any misconduct by the Met. However, it ordered the force to apologise for not recording its reason for appealing against the caution.
Caroline Flack’s mother rejected that apology at the time.
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The announcement of the new investigation comes as it was revealed Caroline’s former X Factor co-presenter Olly Murs will top the Flackstock festival in July.
The event in memory of the presenter is in its third year and raises money for mental health charities.
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK