Man arrested over death of Lubbock
A MAN has been arrested on suspicion of the murder and indecent assault of Stuart Lubbock at the home of entertainer Michael Barrymore 20 years ago after “significant new information” came to light.
Essex Police said the man, 50, who has not been named, was arrested in Cheshire yesterday and remains in custody where he continues to be questioned.
Butcher Mr Lubbock, 31, had been attending a party at Barrymore’s luxury home in Roydon with eight other people on March 31 2001 when he died.
Police said they would contact all of those at the party in the coming days following the arrest, and warned: “We know that not everyone was responsible for what happened, but someone was.”
Responding to the breakthrough in the case, Mr Lubbock’s 76-year-old father Terry, who is terminally ill, told the PA news agency: “There is just so much going on in my head, I can’t get my head around it.
“Of course I’m happy. Of course this is good news.
“But it’s been 20 years. This has nearly killed me.”
Speaking outside Essex Police headquarters
in Chelmsford, Detective Superintendent Lucy Morris said: “The arrest comes after significant new information came to light following our renewed appeal for information and offer of an enhanced reward, which coincided with a major TV documentary broadcast in February 2020.
“This information has led to us making an arrest and over the coming days we will be contacting all those who were present at the party at the time as well as others who may have information.
“We believe someone or some people at that party know what happened.”
She added: “We have never given up on finding out exactly what happened to Stuart, and we will not stop in our pursuit of justice.”
And in a renewed appeal for further information, she added: “Now is the time to come forward.”
Last year’s Channel 4 documentary about the case prompted Mr Barrymore, 68, to issue a fresh denial of any wrongdoing, saying: “I have had nothing to do with this whatsoever and yet I keep getting bashed and bullied by the media.”
Mr Barrymore was criticised for leaving his home soon after Mr Lubbock was found floating in the outside pool.
The former television presenter, who became a household name for shows such as Strike It Lucky, has always maintained he had no involvement in Mr Lubbock’s death.
A post-mortem examination showed Mr Lubbock had suffered severe internal injuries which suggested he had been sexually assaulted.
Alcohol, ecstasy and cocaine were found in his bloodstream.
EUROPEAN Union chief Ursula von der Leyen has threatened to block the export of coronavirus vaccines to the UK amid an ongoing row over the supply of the Oxford/astrazeneca jab.
The European Commission president criticised the British-swedish firm yesterday for having “underproduced and underdelivered” to the bloc.
She said the EU will consider halting vaccine exports to countries with higher coverage rates than its own, as it struggles to achieve the pace of rollout managed in the UK.
Downing Street urged the EU to “stand by its commitment” not to restrict exports, with the Pfizer jab being produced in Biontech’s German manufacturing sites as well as in Pfizer’s own site in Belgium.
Under pressure and with parts of the EU on the “crest of a third wave” of infections, Ms von der Leyen warned she is “ready to use whatever tool we need” to ensure the
reliable delivery of vaccines. She told reporters in Brussels: “We are exporting a lot to countries that are themselves producing vaccines and we think this is an invitation to be open, so that we also see exports from those countries coming back to the European Union.
“The second point that is of importance to us: we will reflect on whether exports to countries who have higher vaccination rates than us are still proportionate.
“We want reliable deliveries of vaccines, we want increase in the contracts, we want to see reciprocity and proportionality in exports and we are ready to use whatever tool we need to deliver on that.
“This is about making sure that Europe gets its fair share.”
She defended the EU against a charge of “vaccine nationalism”, arguing the bloc has granted 314 requests for vaccine exports and has only refused one since export authorisation was introduced on February 1. Ms von der Leyen said “41 million doses have been exported to 33 countries” as she warned “open roads run in both directions”.
The EU rate of vaccine doses administered per 100 people stands at 11.81, according to a tracker on the Our World In Data website.
This compares to the UK’S rate of 39.04 and the US’S 33.11.
Ms von der Leyen made clear the UK is not a nation where she deems there is “reciprocity” in terms of vaccine supply, describing it as “country number one” in terms of exports from the EU.