Love Island host Caroline Flack pleads not guilty to assaulting boyfriend

23 December 2019, 12:16

Love Island presenter Caroline Flack has pleaded not guilty to assaulting her boyfriend Lewis Burton.

The TV star appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court on Monday after she was accused of assaulting Mr Burton at their north London home on December 13.

After the incident, she quit as host of Love Island.

The court heard that the scene at Flack and Mr Burton's flat was "like a horror movie" and both were covered in blood when police arrived in the early hours.

Prosecutor Katie Weiss alleged that Ms Flack hit Mr Burton in the head with a lamp while he was sleeping after she read messages which "led her to believe he was cheating on her."

The court gallery was full of observers and supporters, including Mr Burton.

During a three- During the three- to four-minute call, Ms Weiss said Mr Burton "made an allegation regarding his girlfriend Caroline" and the first officer arrived eight minutes later.

She said: "He knocked on the door and it was opened by both of them.

"Both were covered in blood and in fact one of the police officers likened the scene to a horror movie."

In reference to the 999 call, Ms Weiss continued: "He is almost begging the operator to send help.

"She calls him an arsehole repeatedly. He had been asleep and had been hit in the head with a lamp. His face was covered in blood.

"She had seen text messages which had led her to believe he was cheating on her."

Ms Weiss said Mr Burton told the operator: "I've just woken up, she has cracked my head open. She tried to kill me mate."

Ms Weiss continued: "It is clear the defendant is manipulative towards him.

"She calls him an arsehole and vile and says he has ruined her life when she has ruined her own life by committing the assault."

Ms Weiss told the court Flack was disruptive while in police custody, flipping a table before she had to be restrained on the ground.

The prosecutor added that Flack had "flouted" her bail condition not to have any direct or indirect contact with Mr Burton.

"She breached this almost immediately by posting a message on Instagram by writing to my boyfriend I love you," Ms Weiss said.

Appearing in front of District Judge Julia Newton, Flack's solicitor Paul Morris said Mr Burton had "never supported" the case against Flack and made an application to have a bail condition banning her from talking to him lifted.

Mr Morris said: "They had been in a relationship all of this year and he appears in court today to support her and they remain a couple.

"She wants to spend time with her partner. If the conditions were lifted there would be no concerns.

"It's not an irrelevant point, it's Christmas, it's New Year, she's suffered enough."