Love Island presenter Caroline Flack pleads not guilty to assault

• Video report by ITV News Correspondent Neil Connery

Love Island presenter Caroline Flack has denied assaulting her boyfriend Lewis Burton in an incident that left them both covered in blood.

Flack, 40, who has stepped down as host of the upcoming winter series of the ITV2 dating show, is alleged to have hit Burton, 27, over the head with a lamp, causing a serious head injury.

Former professional tennis player and model Burton does not support the prosecution and insists he is not a victim, Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court was told.

Flack was mobbed by photographers as she arrived at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Monday morning wearing a black coat, scarf and boots before being escorted into the building by police.

She stood in front of the glass-enclosed dock to confirm her name, address, date of birth and that her nationality is British before the single charge was read out in court.

Her lawyer Paul Morris interrupted proceedings to tell District Judge Julia Newton that Burton does not support the prosecution.

"He is not a victim, he is a witness," he said.

When the charge was put to Flack for a second time, she answered: "Not guilty."

Prosecutor Katie Weiss said: "He is a victim, he sustained a significant injury to his head."

Burton arrived at court separately from his girlfriend wearing a navy parka jacket with a fur-lined hood and watched proceedings from the packed public gallery.

He has previously spoken out in support of the presenter, claiming she has become the subject of a "witch hunt" following her arrest.

Ms Weiss continued: "It is clear the defendant is manipulative towards him.

"She calls him an a***hole and vile and says he has ruined her life when she has ruined her own life by committing the assault."

Ms Weiss told the court Flack was disruptive while in police custody.

She said: "Her behaviour gets worse, she flips over a table and then has to be restrained on the ground."

The court heard Flack was arrested and charged with assault by beating after police were called to her flat in Islington, north London, on December 12.

In reference to Burton's 999 call, Ms Weiss said: "He is almost begging the operator to send help."

She continued: "Both were covered in blood and in fact one of the police officers likened the scene to a horror movie.

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

Ms Weiss added: "She had also smashed a glass and she had sustained an injury.

"Mr Burton said he believed the assault occurred as a result of the defendant taking his phone while he was sleeping... she had seen text messages leading her to believe that he was cheating on her."

Flack put her head in her hands as the judge refused an application to remove bail conditions preventing her from contacting Burton directly or indirectly and from attending his address.

Burton, in the public gallery, also put his hand to his face, before the couple left the courtroom separately.

She was released on conditional bail before her trial on March 4, which is expected to last a day-and-a-half.

Flack and Burton unfollowed each other on Instagram ahead of the hearing.

In an emotional post to the social networking site on Sunday evening, Flack 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."

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