Caroline Flack will spend Christmas with friends in London and volunteer with charity for the lonely on the day – after court bans her from seeing boyfriend Lewis Burton following ‘horror movie’ assault hearing
- Sources close to embattled presenter said she is staying with friends in London
- She will spend tomorrow helping at Golden Years, a Hackney-based charity
- Finding volunteering ‘rewarding’, Flack regularly gives up her time December 25
- She has been ordered not to contact Lewis Burton, who she denies assaulting
Caroline Flack will fight back her own personal grief and spread some festive cheer by volunteering at a charity for the lonely on Christmas Day, MailOnline can reveal.
Sources close to the embattled presenter said she is staying with friends in London over Christmas after being ordered by a judge not to contact boyfriend Lewis Burton, who she denies clobbering with a lamp while he slept.
She will spend tomorrow helping at Golden Years, a Hackney-based charity which is throwing a lunch for socially isolated elderly people.
Finding volunteering ‘rewarding’, Flack regularly gives up her time on December 25 and last year posted a picture of herself helping at a church in Stoke Newington.
Despite being engulfed in a bruising court battle, the 40-year-old ex-Love Island host will swallow her relationship heartbreak – and assault charge – to continue her tradition of volunteering.
Flack and her partner were both allegedly covered in blood when police arrived at their flat in Islington, North London, on December 12 – with one officer describing the chaotic scene as ‘like a horror movie’.
Flack is photographed as she leaves Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court in North London after the hearing yesterday. After being ordered not to speak to Lewis Burton over Christmas, she will spend the festive period with friends and tomorrow volunteer at a charity
Lewis Burton leaves Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court after his girlfriend Flack pleaded not guilty to assaulting him
Finding volunteering ‘rewarding’, Flack regularly gives up her time on December 25 and last year posted a picture of herself helping at a church in Stoke Newington
Yesterday, Flak pleaded not guilty to common assault and was released on bail until her trial in March.
She was accused of ‘going mad’ and smashing a glass after looking at texts which made her think Mr Burton was cheating, with him saying in a 999 call that she ‘tried to kill me, mate’, Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court heard.
Mr Burton was said to have been ‘almost begging the operator to send help’ with his face ‘covered in blood’, while Flack – who has now been replaced as Love Island host by Laura Whitmore – allegedly had two cuts to her wrist.
Mr Burton posted a picture of himself kissing Flack, hours after a judge said she was banned from contacting Mr Burton and from attending his address – which left both Flack and Mr Burton with their head in their hands.
He wrote on Instagram: ‘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.’
Love Island host Caroline Flack leaves Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court in North London yesterday with two police officers
Mr Burton posted a picture of himself with Flack on his Instagram, with the comment: ‘It’s heartbreaking I can’t see my girlfriend over Christmas. ‘What I witnessed today was horrible. Arguments do happen every day in every relationship. ‘Gutted I am not allowed to protect her right now.’
After being taken into custody, ITV host Flack – whom the court heard was ‘manipulative’ towards Mr Burton and accused him of ruining her life – allegedly flipped over a table and had to be restrained on the ground by police.
Flack has now been released on bail until her trial on March 4 next year. She allegedly said ‘I did it’ and claimed under caution that she would kill herself – also admitting she ‘whacked him round the head’, the court was told.
Her boyfriend was allegedly left with ‘significant head injuries’ and claimed in the 999 call that Flack had ‘cracked my head open’, but the court heard Flack wants to ‘spend time’ with him over the Christmas and New Year period.