Caroline Flack: Met Police refers itself to watchdog over force’s contact with star before death
Written by News on 21/02/2020
The Metropolitan Police has referred itself to the police watchdog over the contact it had with Caroline Flack before her death.
The former Love Island presenter was found dead at her London flat on Saturday after taking her own life, the 40-year-old’s family said.
She was awaiting trial for allegedly assaulting her 27-year-old boyfriend Lewis Burton.
Scotland Yard’s directorate of professional standards reviewed all previous contact the force had with the TV star, before making a referral on Wednesday.
The Met said it was standard practice for a referral to be made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) when a person who has had recent contact with police dies.
In a statement, the force said: “No notice of investigation has been served on any officer and no conduct issues have been identified by the DPS. No officer is on restricted duties or suspended.”
An IOPC spokesman said: “We will make a decision on the level of our involvement after carefully assessing the information we have received.
“Receipt of a referral does not mean an investigation will necessarily follow.”
Flack stepped down from the current series of the ITV show after she was arrested and charged with assault by beating.
She pleaded not guilty to the charge during a hearing at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court in December.
In the aftermath of the incident at her flat in Islington earlier that month, she told police “I did it” and then warned that she would kill herself, the court heard.
Flack was released on bail but was ordered to avoid any contact with Burton, who did not support the prosecution, ahead of next month’s trial.
An inquest into her death was opened on Wednesday, with the court hearing Flack was found by residents and that police attended the property in Stoke Newington, east London, after being flagged down.
Paramedics were unable to save her and she was identified by her twin sister, Jody.
Funeral arrangements are still to be decided, the court heard.
Flack’s family released an unpublished Instagram post she wrote days before she took her own life, ahead of the opening of the inquest.
In the statement, she wrote that her arrest for allegedly assaulting Mr Burton meant “within 24 hours my whole world and future was swept from under my feet”.
Flack also said in the post: “I have always taken responsibility for what happened that night. Even on the night.
“But the truth is… It was an accident.
“I’ve been having some sort of emotional breakdown for a very long time.
“But I am not a domestic abuser.
“We had an argument and an accident happened. An accident.”
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
(c) Sky News 2020: Caroline Flack: Met Police refers itself to watchdog over force’s contact with star before death
