Caroline Flack reached out to her lawyer in a state of fear weeks before she tragically took her own life, barrister Nick Green has claimed. According to Green, the beloved TV presenter made contact with him, desperately seeking advice on how to prevent her impending trial for allegedly assaulting her partner.
The connection with the Lancashire-based legal expert was reportedly facilitated by her friend Mel Sykes, who had previously benefited from his services that led to similar charges being dropped. Green has opened up about the final conversation he had with Flack and his belief that the 40 year old’s life could have been saved.
His revelation comes after the showbiz world was left in shock by Flack’s suicide on February 15, 2020. He recalls the former Love Island host phoning him three weeks prior, describing her as “terrified and vulnerable” when speaking to Mail Online.
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In an effort to comfort her, Green recounted his response during the call: “I took the call, and instantly recognised the fear and pain in her voice. She was close to tears. I broke the ice by interrupting her. ‘Caroline, I must warn you, if you start to cry, I’ll put the phone down.”, reports the Mirror.
This seemed to reignite a glimmer of Flack’s spirited nature according to the solicitor. What troubled Flack most, Green laid out, was the body-cam footage from the police recorded on the night of the supposed altercation with Lewis Burton, which occurred on December 12, 2019.
The situation they encountered in North London reportedly involved both individuals covered in blood, with Flack having sustained injuries to her wrist. Following hospital treatment, she was issued a caution before being charged with assault. She was scheduled to stand trial in March 2020.
It’s been reported that the presenter had confided in friends that she would “rather die” than have recordings from that night played in a public setting. Green highlighted the unusually stringent bail conditions that prevented Flack from contacting her partner, which could have exacerbated her mental health issues.
Green argued that such strict conditions were unnecessary given Burton’s refusal to make a statement, the absence of children involved, and Flack having her own residence to return to. “I believe it was the invoking of this ‘no contact’ condition which sowed the seeds for her suicide,’ Green continued.
“It ensured she remained isolated and emotional, and it impacted constantly on her fragile mental state.” He also suggested that Flack had been reluctant to challenge the order due to fear of attracting more media attention.
“She told me she feared it would result in more media coverage, and that the prosecutor had threatened to play the body-cam footage,” Green added. “All my fears were being confirmed. All I got back, when I informed her that an appeal [to remove the ‘no-contact condition’] would be heard in the judge’s chambers and she would not have to be present, was ‘this is not what my lawyers have told me’. The more I heard, the more I disliked.”
He stated that it was “no wonder” her mental health deteriorated. Just three weeks later, after learning a trial was imminent, Flack was discovered dead in her Stoke Newington flat. Green believes that while the star was at her breaking point, her life could have been saved. Now, he aims to assist her mother, Christine, in uncovering the truth about her death.
A new documentary is due to air on Disney+ where Flack’s mother questions the events of her daughter’s final 24 hours and the tragic night, asking if her death could have been avoided. Christine’s relentless pursuit for the truth took a step forward when the Independent Office of Police Conduct encouraged the Met to reopen its investigation into the case against the ill-fated TV star.
The watchdog has suggested that the force’s Directorate of Professional Standards interview an officer who was present at Caroline’s 2019 arrest, shortly before she took her own life. This officer was reportedly involved in the decision to override the CPS’s initial plan to only issue the Love Island host with a caution for assaulting Lewis Burton.
However, this unnamed officer was not required to provide evidence for initial reviews into police conduct as he had left the force. He has since returned to duty.