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| Caroline Flack inquest: ‘No doubt' presenter intended to take own life | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| TV star Caroline Flack took her own life while she was facing trial accused of assaulting her boyfriend, a coroner has ruled. | TV star Caroline Flack took her own life while she was facing trial accused of assaulting her boyfriend, a coroner has ruled. |
| The ex-Love Island and X Factor host was found dead at her home in Stoke Newington, London, in February. | The ex-Love Island and X Factor host was found dead at her home in Stoke Newington, London, in February. |
| An inquest at Poplar Coroner's Court heard Ms Flack's mental health had deteriorated following her arrest and she had been "hounded" by the media. | An inquest at Poplar Coroner's Court heard Ms Flack's mental health had deteriorated following her arrest and she had been "hounded" by the media. |
| Coroner Mary Hassell ruled her death was suicide. | Coroner Mary Hassell ruled her death was suicide. |
| Ms Hassell said Ms Flack had killed herself after an "exacerbation and fluctuation" of ill health and distress. | |
| Ms Flack was found dead at her home while she was facing trial accused of assaulting Mr Burton - a charge she denied. | Ms Flack was found dead at her home while she was facing trial accused of assaulting Mr Burton - a charge she denied. |
| The inquest heard the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had initially pursued a caution against Ms Flack, but withdrew it after the Metropolitan Police said it believed it was in the public interest to bring an assault charge. | |
| The presenter's mother Chris told the court she thought her daughter had been "seriously let down by the authorities and in particular the CPS for pursuing the case". | |
| Ms Hassell said she was "satisfied [Ms Flack] wanted to cause her own death" and "there's no doubt in my mind at all". | |
| "For some, it seems she had a charmed life - but the more famous she got the more mentally distressed she became," she said. | |
| "Her trauma was played out in the national press and that was incredibly distressing for her." | |
| The inquest heard how sections of the media had been "hounding" Ms Flack after she was charged with assault. | |
| Recording a suicide verdict, Ms Hassell said: "I find the reason for her taking her life was she now knew she was being prosecuted for certainty, and she knew she would face the media, press, publicity - it would all come down upon her. | |
| "To me, that's it in essence." | |
| Mrs Flack wept as she told the coroner over video link: "I think you got it spot on. | |
| "We know you are not allowed to say certain things and it's up to us if we want to take it any further, and we don't." | |
| She previously told the inquest that if Ms Flack had been a "normal person", the police and CPS wouldn't have "been bothered" to charge her. | |
| Addressing Det Insp Lauren Bateman, Mrs Flack said: "No real evidence was put forward. If it was an ordinary person, you wouldn't have been bothered. | |
| "You should be disgusted with yourself. That girl killed herself because you put an appeal through." | |
| Det Insp Bateman said: "I was not biased and I treat everyone the same." | |
| You can find information and support for issues raised in this article on the BBC Action Line website. |