Caroline Flack's death has been ruled a suicide following an inquest

Coroner Mary Hassell gave her verdict on Thursday (06.08.20) during the inquest into Caroline's death, which came after being informed that the Crown Prosecution Service was going to pursue a trial on a charge of assault by beating following an alleged fight with boyfriend Lewis Burton at her flat in December 2019.

Hassell said: "Caroline had fluctuating mental ill health, she had had struggles in the past. She had had difficulties.

"In spite of the fact she may have led - to some - a charmed life, actually the more famous she got the more some of these difficulties increased - she had to deal with the media in a way most of us don't."

The inquest at Poplar Coroner's Court had previously heard the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had sought a caution over the alleged assault - which she had denied - but this was withdrawn after the Met Police said it was in the public interest to charge her.

A section from the police incident report was read out in court, in which Ms. Flack said she "whacked him round the head like that", while gesturing a swinging motion to police.

She added to officers: "I hit him, he was cheating on me", and, "I admit I did it, I used the phone".

The CPS - based on this evidence - cautioned Ms. Flack for assault, but Scotland Yard then urged them to seek prosecution.

Detective Inspector Lauren Bateman said this week she hadn't made it clear in a later police interview what she was confessing too.

During the interview, she said she had flicked Mr. Burton "to wake him up", but didn't believe she had caused his injury.

Although the coroner thought DI Bateman was "splitting hairs" with what she considered an admission, the officer responded: "In my view, it wasn't a clear admission of what had happened."

It was ruled that it was in the public interest to charge her of assault by beating, although Mr. Burton did not support the charge.

During the inquest this week, Ms. Flack's mother told DI Bateman: "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."

DI Bateman told the inquest the decision to charge Flack was "absolutely not" influenced by her celebrity status.

She commented: "I would have done exactly the same if it had been anyone. All I can say is I was not biased and I treat everyone the same."