Caroline Flack has been banned from seeing her boyfriend over Christmas after she allegedly “whacked” him over the head with a lamp leaving him looking like something from a “horror movie”.
The former
Love Island host, 40, is accused of attacking Lewis Burton, 27, after seeing texts on his phone which led her to believe he was cheating on her.
The alleged attack prompted Mr Burton, 27, a former professional tennis player and model, to dial 999 at 5.25am, in which he told the operator: “she tried to kill me mate”.
Dressed all in black, Flack was mobbed by photographers - who were held back by police - as she was walked into Highbury Corner Magistrates Court, earlier this morning.
Flack, who is best known for her role in hosting ITV2’s reality dating show, pleaded not guilty to assaulting Mr Burton at her £1.1million flat in Islington, north London, the early hours of December 12.
Standing in front of the glass-enclosed dock to confirm her name, address, date of birth and nationality before the single charge was read out in court.
However her lawyer, Paul Morris, interrupted proceedings to tell the District Judge Julia Newton that Mr Burton does not support the prosecution. "He is not a victim, he is a witness," Mr Morris said.
He added that Mr Burton had issued a statement through solicitors asking for the case against Flack to be dropped adding that he “never supported the prosecution”.
When the charge was put to Flack for a second time, she answered: "Not guilty."
Prosecutor Katie Weiss then said of Mr Burton, who sat holding his head in his hands in the public gallery: "He is a victim - he sustained a significant injury to his head."
In the days following Ms Flack’s arrest, it was reported that Mr Burton was standing by his partner.
He has previously spoken out in support of his girlfriend, claiming she has become the subject of a "witch hunt".
However there were gasps from the courtroom when District Judge Newton told Flack that she would be subject to conditional bail meaning that she is not allowed any contact with her boyfriend ahead of her trial over alleged assault by beating. She will return to the same court to stand trial on March 4.
Flack was seen crying as the bail conditions were read out, and tried to make eye contact with Mr Burton as he left the courtroom.
Ms Weiss had previously told the court that when police arrived at Flack’s flat, both she and Mr Burton answered the door.
“Both were covered in blood,” she said, adding: “and in fact one of the police officers likened the scene to a horror movie.”
The prosecutor said that Mr Burton told officers he had been in bed and “and had been hit over the head by Caroline with a lamp”.
The court heard that Mr Burton sustained a visible cut to his head, while Flack had smashed a glass and had lacerations to her left wrist.
Ms Weiss said the 999 call recorded Mr Burton “asking repeatedly for help to be sent to him” and was “almost begging the operator to send help”.
He said Flack was “going mad, breaking stuff”, and could be heard on the call saying Mr Burton had “ruined my life”.
The prosecutor added that after being cautioned Flack said “she will kill herself”, calling Mr Burton an “a*******” and “vile”.
The court heard that Flack continued to shout abuse at her boyfriend as she was quizzed by officers and threatened to kill herself before she flipped over a table and was restrained on the floor.
Today’s hearing came after the tv presenter posted an emotional message to her 2.3 million Instagram followers yesterday.
She wrote: “This is the worst time of my life. I don't know where to go to. Where to look. Who to trust. Or who I even am.” Flack and Burton unfollowed each other on Instagram ahead of the hearing.
Following her court appearance, she released another statement on Instagram Stories, saying:
"Thankfully I know a lot of you will not believe all that you have heard and read following today's court hearing ... thank you for your continued support and love.... "It's going to be a relief when I am able to give my side of the story, when I'm allowed to x."
Meanwhile, Mr Burton posted a picture of himself with Flack on his Instagram Stories, with the comment: "It's heartbreaking I can't see my girlfriend over Christmas.
"What I witnessed today was horrible. She did not hit me with a lamp.. Arguments do happen every day in every relationship. Gutted I am not allowed to protect her right now."
Following the incident Flack stepped down from the upcoming winter series of Love Island in South Africa.
On Friday ITV confirmed that TV presenter Laura Whitmore will replace her as the new face of the popular ITV2 reality dating show.
Flack voiced her support for Whitmore, 34, who is the girlfriend of the show's narrator Iain Stirling. Whitmore also paid tribute to Flack, who she said “pushed” her to accept the role.
According to viewing figures published in June, the launch episode of the latest series of Love Island drew an average of 3.3 million viewers, an increase on last year’s figure of 2.9 million.