Caroline Flack’s assault case was formally closed by the Crown Prosecution Service 10 days after the presenter died by suicide.
The Love Island host was said to have been worried about her upcoming court date at the start of March, after she was arrested for assault following an argument with her boyfriend, Lewis Burton.
A spokesperson for the CPS confirmed to The Sun that they had closed the case 10 days after her death, stating: ‘Court proceedings against Caroline Flack came to an official end on February 25.’
In order for the case to be closed, her death certificate had to be presented to Highbury Magistrates’ Court in North London.
The spokesperson added: ‘By law we had to give formal evidence to the clerk of the court that the defendant was deceased. We had to provide a death certificate as a record that the defendant was deceased.
‘Despite media coverage of Caroline’s death and public comments made by her family about her death we needed to make this a formality to close the case. It is a formality that had to be be done and now has been.’
Caroline, 40, took he own life on 15 February after a friend who was staying with her had just ‘popped to the shops’, briefly leaving her alone in the flat she had been staying in since the incident.
She had been arrested in December after an altercation with Lewis, which left her covered in blood after she cut herself on some broken glass.
She pleaded not guilty to assault by beating and was due to face trial on 4 March, despite Lewis, 27, telling the public that he did not support the case going ahead against her.
Caroline’s management had slammed the CPS for going ahead with the case regardless, in an Instagram post after the star’s death.
Francis Ridley, of Money Talent Management, posted a tribute to Caroline on Instagram via her colleague Louisa McDonald, and had strong words for the Crown Prosecution Service. It read: ‘We are devastated at the loss of our client and friend Caroline Flack.
‘An immensely talented young woman who was at the top of her game professionally and loved by television viewers across the country.
‘In recent months Caroline had been under huge pressure because of an ongoing case and potential trial which has been well reported.
‘The Crown Prosecution Service pursued this when they knew not only how very vulnerable Caroline was but also that the alleged victim did not support the prosecution and had disputed the CPS version of events.
‘The CPS should look at themselves today and how they pursued a show trial that was not only without merit but not in the public interest.
‘And ultimately resulted in significant distress to Caroline. Our thoughts are with Caroline’s family at this time.’ T
The CPS said in a statement to Metro.co.uk at the time: ‘Our deepest sympathies go to the family and friends of Caroline Flack. ‘Given the tragic circumstances, we will not comment on the specifics of this case at this stage.’
Caroline had always denied assaulting Lewis, and her family released an Instagram post she was advised not to share before her death.
It read: ‘For a lot of people, being arrested for common assault is an extreme way to have some sort of spiritual awakening but for me it’s become the normal.
‘I’ve been pressing the snooze button on many stresses in my life – for my whole life. I’ve accepted shame and toxic opinions on my life for over 10 years and yet told myself it’s all part of my job. No complaining.
‘The problem with brushing things under the carpet is …. they are still there and one day someone is going to lift that carpet up and all you are going to feel is shame and embarrassment.
‘On December the 12th 2019 I was arrested for common assault on my boyfriend …Within 24 hours my whole world and future was swept from under my feet and all the walls that I had taken so long to build around me, collapsed. I am suddenly on a different kind of stage and everyone is watching it happen.
‘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. The blood that someone SOLD to a newspaper was MY blood and that was something very sad and very personal.
‘The reason I am talking today is because my family can’t take anymore. I’ve lost my job. My home. My ability to speak. And the truth has been taken out of my hands and used as entertainment.
‘I can’t spend every day hidden away being told not to say or speak to anyone.
‘I’m so sorry to my family for what I have brought upon them and for what my friends have had to go through. ‘I’m not thinking about ‘how I’m going to get my career back.’ I’m thinking about how I’m going to get mine and my family’s life back.
‘I can’t say anymore than that.’
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