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Caroline Flack’s mother has received an apology from the Metropolitan Police for not keeping a record of the reason it charged her daughter with assault.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) carried out a review into the case after complaints from the late Love Island presenter’s mother, Christine.
The IOPC’s review did not identify any misconduct by the Met, but it did criticise the police for the handling of Christine’s complaint.
Caroline took her own life in February 2020, ahead of a court appearance for allegedly assaulting her boyfriend, Lewis Burton.
Despite the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) recommending she receive only a caution, the Met Police appealed against the CPS decision, resulting in Caroline facing a charge of assault by beating.
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Christine made complaints about the decision to charge her daughter, claiming that Caroline had been treated differently because she was famous.
According to theEastern Daily Press, the apology letter from chief superintendent Andy Carter said: “I am sincerely sorry for our inability to previously capture an adequate contemporaneous record of streamlined, balanced and transparent decision-making regarding the CPS appeal and statistical data.”
Twins Jody and Caroline Flack with their mother Christine in Norfolk, 1980s
(Channel 4/Flack family)
Christine told the publication in response: “They have apologised for how they handled my complaint – but what they really should be apologising for is the way Carrie was treated.
“The fact new guidelines have been brought in means something was wrong. I believe if I had not said anything, nothing would have changed either.
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“A lot of the apology letter felt copied and pasted and I feel like they have only done it because the IOPC suggested they ought to.”
Late last year, Christine spoke out against Jeremy Clarkson’s column in The Sun, in which he wrote about how much he “hated” Meghan Markle.
She compared Clarkson’s words to the negative press coverage about Caroline. Read more here.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, the Samaritans offers support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
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