Caroline Flack sobbed she 'couldn't cope without Lewis Burton' in call hours before death
Love Island host Caroline Flack died in February and an inquest into her death resumed today. The court heard how the TV star made a tearful phone call to Lewis' mum hours before she took her own life
Caroline Flack sobbed she "couldn't cope" without her boyfriend Lewis Burton in a tearful phone call to Lewis' mum hours before her death.
The telly presenter took her own life at her flat in Stoke Newington, north-east London on February 15 - days after learning her trial over an alleged attack on boyfriend Lewis was going ahead.
An inquest into her death resumed at Poplar Coroner’s Court in London today before Senior Coroner Mary Hassell, with Caroline's family are attending via video link.
Lewis' mum, also named Caroline, had her witness statement presented to court and in it she revealed she'd spoken to the TV star on the morning of the day she died.
She explained the presenter said she was "missing Lewis" and "couldn't cope without him"
Caroline had been banned from contacting Lewis following her arrest in December on suspicion of attacking him during a row at her London flat.
She said Caroline was crying and distressed and was upset over a meeting with her solicitor the day before.
Lewis' mum added: "It was very sad what happened to her and a terrible loss of life."
The court also heard a statement from Caroline's mum Christine read out in court.
She said her daughter had been "let down by the authorities and by the CPS in pursuing the case".
Christine added: "My family and I are totally devastated," and said she last saw her daughter a week before her death.
She went on: "When I said goodbye to her that day I never imagined it would be for the last time...
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"I believe that she was heartbroken. I do want people to know what a lovely, kind and generous person she was. She never spoke badly of anyone.''
Caroline's twin sister Jody also shared her heartbreak over the telly star's death and claimed she'd previously attempted suicide the night before her court appearance in December.
In her witness statement, Jody said: "Heartbreak is something Caroline found extremely difficult...
"She attempted to take her own life the night before she appeared in court. I believe the shame... was too much to deal with."
She added: "Caroline was in a very anxious frame of mind from December 12 - the day she was charged.
"She'd had suicidal thoughts in past. Ambulances were called on four occasions after attempting to take overdoses when relationships ended."
Caroline was charged with assault by beating after a row at her London flat with Lewis.
She pleaded not guilty and her boyfriend always maintained her innocence, while her family slammed prosecutors for pursuing the case against the star - calling it a "show trial".
She stepped down from hosting Love Island, and in an unpublished Instagram post released by her family after her death Caroline said her "whole world and future was swept from under my feet" after her arrest.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, the Crown Prosecution Service said in a statement: "Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Caroline Flack.
"It is normal practice for prosecutors to hold a debriefing in complex or sensitive cases after they have ended.
"This has taken place and found that the case was handled appropriately and in line with our published legal guidance."
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