Barrymore pool murder arrest
Man quizzed over 2001 death of Stuart Lubbock
DETECTIVES investigating the alleged rape and murder of a party guest at the home of Michael Barrymore 20 years ago arrested a suspect yesterday.
A man in his 50s, detained in the North of England, was questioned about the death of Stuart Lubbock before being released on bail until April 12.
Mr Lubbock was found dead in the swimming pool of TV presenter Barrymore’s £2million Essex mansion in March 2001. A post-mortem examination found he had suffered horrific internal injuries consistent with being raped before his death.
Mr Lubbock’s father, Terry, who has fought for justice since the incident, which ended Barrymore’s showbusiness career, welcomed the development yesterday.
But he blamed Essex Police for robbing him of his health because of failures in its protracted and stuttering investigation.
The 76-year-old, who lives in a care home and recently revealed he has terminal cancer, said: ‘I’m glad something has happened before I die.
‘But look what it’s done to me. The fight for justice has put me in a care home and I’ve got cancer in my body. I’ve only got a few weeks left.’
Barrymore – who Essex Police revealed they would be speaking to again, along with other guests at the party – declined to say anything about the case yesterday.
His spokesman said: ‘We’ve discussed it but we feel it’s too early to make any comment.’
Asked whether he would be happy to help police with their inquiries, she said: ‘I’m sure he would be.’
Barrymore, 68, was a household
‘Loyalties change, it’s never too late’
name in 2001 as the host of shows including Strike It Lucky.
He and his then partner Jonathan Kenney had an Indian meal together on the night of March 30 before going to a nightclub in Harlow.
They took a taxi to his fivebedroom home around three miles away in Roydon at 2.30am with a group including butcher Mr Lubbock, 31, a divorced father of two from Harlow.
Just before 6am, Mr Lubbock’s body was found floating in the pool and emergency services were called.
Barrymore fled as police arrived. He later apologised, saying he ‘panicked’.
He has always strongly denied any involvement in the crime, as have all the guests at his house.
The entertainer, Mr Kenney, 50, and another guest, former dustman Justin Merritt, 46, were arrested in 2007. All were released without charge.
Yesterday’s development came after Essex Police renewed their appeal for information, and offered a £20,000 reward, to coin
cide with a Channel 4 documentary about the case a year ago. Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Jennings, now leading the investigation, said then: ‘We want the people who do have information to come forward and talk to us. Loyalties change and it is never too late to do the right thing.’
Mr Jennings also suggested it was ‘likely more than one person was involved’ and claimed that a handle from an outhouse and a pool thermommanager eter that may have been used in the alleged assault had never been recovered.
The crime scene was not properly secured at first, as officers assumed Mr Lubbock’s death was an accident.
A coroner recorded an open verdict in 2002 after failing to confirm the cause of death.
The inquest was told that tests showed Mr Lubbock had alcohol, ecstasy and cocaine in his bloodstream.
His father has had calls for a new inquest turned down.
Barrymore – real name Michael Parker – was married to his Cheryl Barrymore for 21 years but they split in 1996, the year after he revealed he was gay. She died in 2005.
A recovering alcoholic, he now lives in a flat in west London and has tried to resurrect his career.
Last year he was in the lineup for ITV’s Dancing On Ice but had to withdraw after breaking his wrist in training.
He won a High Court claim for wrongful arrest in 2016 but received a ‘nominal sum’ after Essex Police appealed. He had sought £2.4million.
Last year he posted a video on Twitter in which he again protested his innocence.
He offered his ‘heartfelt sympathies’ to Mr Lubbock’s family but complained that he kept ‘getting bashed and bullied by the media’.
Terry Lubbock accused him of shedding ‘crocodile tears’.
Detective Superintendent Lucy Morris said yesterday: ‘We have never given up on finding out exactly what happened to Stuart and we will not stop in our pursuit of justice for him and for his family and friends.
‘Now is the time to come forward, if you haven’t done so already, to set this matter to rest.’
‘We have never given up’