Investigation into Caroline Flack's death closed after 'reasonable' findings

The investigation into the death of Caroline Flack and the charges brought against her have been closed. The Independent Office for Police Conduct has confirmed that the investigation relating to the actions of officers appealing to the CPS was closed in January, and the outcome had been "reasonable and proportionate".

Flack was charged with assault by beating in December 2019 after allegedly assaulting her then-boyfriend, Lewis Burton. The Crown Prosecution Service had recommended that she be cautioned after the incident. However, the Metropolitan Police appealed the decision, and she was later charged. She tragically took her own life in February 2020.

The IOPC reviewed her case after Caroline's mother believed that her celebrity status had likely influenced the decision to charge her. The IOPC received a complaint referral from London's Metropolitan Police, which involved "a number of allegations about the force's investigation" into the alleged assault in March last year.

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In a statement shared with the Mirror, a spokesperson for the IOPC said: "We received a complaint referral from the Met Police on 7 March 2024 containing a number of allegations about the force’s investigation into an alleged assault involving Caroline Flack in December 2019.

"We determined the majority of the allegations had already been investigated by the force and later reviewed by the IOPC, so no further action was required.

"On the basis there may be new witness evidence available, we directed the Met to investigate one aspect of the complaint. This related to the actions of officers in appealing an initial decision by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) not to charge Ms Flack.

"Five allegations were returned to the force to resolve in a proportionate manner. Outcomes were provided to the complainant by the Met in June and, in July which found no new evidence that would alter any previous outcomes. The complainant asked the IOPC to review the outcome. Following that review, in January 2025, we found that outcome to be reasonable and proportionate."

A spokesperson for The Met confirmed that DPS officers made more enquiries and examined the fresh evidence in 2024. The force said: "It did not change the original outcome that the service provided by officers was acceptable. The family were advised of the outcome in June [2024] and then appealed that outcome to the IOPC.

"The IOPC carried out a review and, in January 2025, found no new evidence that would alter any of the previous outcomes." However, should any new evidence come to light, the IOPC could review this again.

At the end of the inquest into Flack's death, coroner Mary Hassell said that the alleged assault had "played out in the national press" after her arrest, which had an impact on the presenter's mental health. Speaking last year, Caroline's mother, Christine, said that the incident "wasn't domestic abuse".

She told Sky News: "This was an accident. But she was portrayed in the court and in the newspapers as a domestic abuser, and that's what hurts. That's what I want got rid of - because she wasn't." Christine also believes that Flack was treated differently due to being famous.

"That's not on, she shouldn't be treated better, but she shouldn't be treated worse," she said. The Met had previously referred itself to the IOPC just days after Caroline took her own life.

The DPS found that there had been no misconduct, which saw Flack's family issue a complaint to the IOPC. In 2023, the office was forced to apologise after not recording its reason for appealing against the caution, but they said it had not identified any forms of misconduct.

Her former boyfriend, Lewis, also stated he didn't support the prosecution, and after her death, he spoke publicly to criticise this. On December 12, 2019, Flack was arrested at her home in London, shortly after 5am. Police said they were called to a residential address after a "domestic disturbance".

She was charged just one day later. At the time of the arrest, a spokesperson for the Met said: "Caroline Flack, 40, of Islington, was charged on Friday, 13 December with assault by beating. She will appear on bail at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 23 December.

"This follows an incident at approximately 05:25hrs on Thursday, 12 December, after reports of a man being assaulted. He was not seriously injured."

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