Caroline Flack: Love Island host denies assaulting boyfriend

Former Love Island presenter Caroline Flack has pleaded not guilty to assaulting her boyfriend with a lamp.

Police found her partner Lewis Burton covered in blood after being called to reports of a man being assaulted at the 40-year-old's home in north London on 12 December, a court heard.

However, Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court was told tennis player Mr Burton did not support the prosecution.

Ms Flack will stand trial at the same court on 4 March.

The court heard the alleged attack occurred after Ms Flack found texts on her boyfriend's phone while he was asleep, leading her to believe he was cheating.

"He said he had been asleep and was hit over the head by Caroline with a lamp, causing a visible cut to his head," prosecutor Katie Weiss said.

"She had also smashed a glass and she had sustained an injury."

The court heard how Mr Burton made a call to 999 in which he was "almost begging the operator to send help".

When a police officer arrived at the Islington flat, both Ms Flack and Mr Burton were covered in blood and the officer "likened the scene to a horror movie", Ms Weiss said.

Ms Weiss told the court Ms Flack was disruptive while in police custody, saying she flipped over a table and had to be "restrained on the ground".

Her solicitor Paul Morris told the court Mr Burton had "never supported" the prosecution's case, adding: "He is not the victim, as he would say, he was a witness."

However, Ms Weiss replied: "Mr Burton is a victim, he received significant injury to his head."

Ms Flack was released on bail on the condition she does not contact Mr Burton directly or indirectly or attends his address.

Mr Morris had made an application to have these bail conditions lifted, arguing that they "remain a couple" and wanted to spend Christmas together.

Helena Wilkinson, BBC News correspondent

Caroline Flack struggled to get through a scrum of photographers as she walked into the court building. Once in, she burst into tears.

In the courtroom itself she was accompanied by a security officer who walked her to the dock.

She passed her boyfriend, the man she's accused of assaulting, who was sitting in the packed public gallery.

They're still a couple, the court heard, and he insists he isn't a victim.

When asked how she would plead she quietly said "not guilty".

As the case was laid out against her there were moments when she cried.

Towards the end, when she was told her bail conditions would remain and that she couldn't contact her boyfriend, she burst into tears again and turned to look at him.

He was looking down with his head in his hands.

Ms Flack began presenting Love Island in summer 2015, having fronted the 12th series of The X Factor alongside Olly Murs, and winning Strictly Come Dancing in 2014.

She stood down from the show after she was charged last week, saying it was the "best thing I can do".

Irish TV presenter Laura Whitmore will take over hosting duties on Love Island and its companion show Aftersun when filming starts in South Africa in January.

Ms Flack's trial is expected to last one-and-a-half days.