Caroline Flack’s mother, Christine Flack, has said she does not accept an apology made by the Metropolitan Police last month over her late daughter’s case.
The ex-Love Island host, who died by suicide in February 2020, was due to appear in court for allegedly assaulting her then-boyfriend Lewis Burton.
The Met Police apologised to Christine over its failure to keep a record about the decision to charge Caroline with assault, instead of giving her a caution.
Christine believes her daughter was discriminated against by the force due to her celebrity status and called the Crown Prosecution Service’s (CPS) decision to prosecute Caroline a “show trial”.
Last month, a spokesperson for the Met Police said it was ordered to apologise to her family after a review by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). The review found no “record of rationale” to appeal against the CPS decision.
The spokesperson said: “We have done so and acknowledge the impact that this has had on them. Our thoughts and sympathies remain with Ms Flack’s family for their loss.”
But Christine has told the BBC that she rejects the apology and questioned the lack of explanation from the force.
Speaking to BBC Newsnight’s Victoria Derbyshire, Christine said: “It just seems wrong. They haven’t said why there were no notes taken, why nothing was recorded. I don’t know whether they’re covering something.”
Asked if she thought Caroline would still be alive if she had not been charged, her mother said she “really” did think that would be the case.
“Once all the pictures came out in the newspapers and things were written about her on social media – they just picked up the bad,” she continued.
“There was a lot of good, but Caroline wasn’t reading the good. She was only reading the bad. She lost her job straightaway, without even being found guilty or going to court. She had another series axed.”
Christine previously said that her daughter “couldn’t get over” the charge and “she couldn’t see a way out”. After the allegations surfaced, Caroline resigned as ITV’s Love Island presenter and was replaced by Laura Whitmore.
The 40-year-old TV presenter died by suicide on 15 February 2020, the day after she learned that the CPS was preparing a court case against her.
Prior to her death, Caroline was arrested and taken by ambulance to hospital because she self-harmed. She was then put in a cell for 24 hours.
Christine told the programme she will not stop asking for a more comprehensive apology from the Met. She also added that her biggest regret was not correcting what she described as “lies” about her daughter in the newspaper.
The force insisted to the BBC that the arrest had been handled appropriately, with a spokesperson saying: “When a person is arrested they can be held in custody for a period of up to 24 hours to allow officers time to gather evidence and investigate the alleged offence.
“A review by the Independent Office for Police Conduct did not identify any misconduct in relation to the handling of Ms Flack’s arrest, however, it concluded that an officer involved in the investigation should receive reflective practice.”
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.
For services local to you, the national mental health database – Hub of Hope – allows you to enter your postcode to search for organisations and charities who offer mental health advice and support in your area.
