Lewis Burton told Caroline Flack “you’re f****d” before dialling 999 on the night she was arrested on suspicion of assaulting him, a court heard today.
The Love Island host, 40, was found hanged at her Stoke Newington, North London, home on February 15 this year.
An inquest into her death resumed at Poplar Coroner’s Court in London this morning for a second day before Senior Coroner Mary Hassell ruled it a suicide.
Her death came just a day after she found out the CPS was going ahead with her trial on a charge of assault by beating stemming from an alleged bust-up with boyfriend Burton in December 2019.
Lisa Ramsarran, deputy chief Crown prosecutor, was giving evidence today about the decision to prosecute Caroline over the incident instead of handing her a caution.
The telly star’s mother Christine spoke during the inquest and accused police and prosecutors of basing the case on a “drunken phone call from a man.”
Ms Ramsarran was recalled and spoke about the evidence regarding the “drunken 999 call”, telling the court Burton had told Caroline: “You’re f****d.” Then he dialled 999.
Ms Ramsarran said though Caroline was banned from contacting Burton by a condition of her bail – decided by the district judge at the court hearing in December – her lawyers could have gone back to court to apply to get that varied at any time.
She said the injury Burton suffered was at the “top end” for assault by beating and could have been classified as assault causing actual bodily harm.
The CPS did not receive any of Caroline’s medical records, Ms Ramsarran said.
The inquest heard Caroline was suffering harassment by an “ex-partner” at the time and a psychiatrist who examined her said it was causing her “significant stress”.
The medic said it had contributed to her stress and anxiety.The ex-partner has not been named at the inquest.
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During the inquest, the court heard that Caroline had left a note for her boyfriend on the day of her death.
It expressed her desire to end the assault case and get her romance with Burton back on track.
The note read: “Please let this court case be dropped and myself and Lewis find harmony.”
The court also heard how Caroline had taken an overdose on the night before her court appearance in December.
She was also treated by paramedics the night before her death after her friends called an ambulance to her home, but the telly presenter refused to be taken to hospital for treatment.
The court heard that Caroline’s assault case was going to be dealt with as a caution – which would have stopped her case going to court – until police appealed the prosecutor’s decision.
Caroline’s mum Christine was given the opportunity to ask questions of one of the police officers involved in the case, Detective Inspector Lauren Bateman.
She told the officer Caroline “killed her herself” because of the police’s decision to appeal.
Christine went on: “I just think you should be disgusted with yourself. I hope in hindsight you do regret this…
“You never saw Caroline. You never saw any evidence. You went on a drunken phone call from a man.”
Caroline 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.