The Metropolitan Police has apologised to Caroline Flack’s family for not keeping a record about why it charged her with assault. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had recommended the former Love Island presenter receive a caution following an incident with her boyfriend Lewis Burton.
However, this was overturned after an appeal from the Met Police which instead charged her with assault by beating. Flack was found dead in February 2020 at the age of 40.
A coroner later ruled she took her own life after learning that prosecutors were going to press ahead with an assault charge. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said the force was ordered to apologise to Flack’s family following a review by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) which found there was not a “record of rationale” to appeal against the CPS decision.
He said: “We have done so and acknowledged the impact that this has had on them. Our thoughts and sympathies remain with Ms Flack’s family for their loss.”
After an initial investigation by the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) found there was no misconduct, Flack’s family escalated their concerns to the IOPC, which ordered the Met to reinvestigate complaints relating to the process involved in appealing against the CPS decision.
A spokesman said: “That investigation by the DPS concluded in May 2022 and found that the service provided was acceptable.
“The (Met) identified some learning around using IT systems to record appeal decisions and the use of decision models for cautions, which are being implemented.”
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In June last year, Flack’s family appealed the outcome of the DBS investigation to the IOPC, which carried out a review which did not identify any misconduct but concluded that an officer should receive “reflective practice”.
The spokesman added: “This was about the requirement to review all case material and record a balanced rationale, demonstrating objective decision-making by exploring aggravating and mitigating factors, when appealing a CPS decision.”
The force await recommendations from the IOPC for “organisational learning”, a spokesman confirmed. Christine Flack, the mother of Caroline, has been contacted by PA for comment.
