Finally, finally, after 18 years & 10 months, Essex Police admit that the 'drowning' of Stuart Lubbock was a HOAX

Today, I read these words on page 15 of the Daily Mail. 3 February 2020.

It was a quote from Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Jennings. Here are two paragraphs from that article:

QUOTE

Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Jennings

Mr Jennings admitted that police failed to secure the scene for forensic tests at the time of the death on March 31, 2001, as they wrongly assumed he had drowned after taking a cocktail of drink and drugs. He also said that a handle from an outhouse and a pool thermometer had gone missing. 

When asked what he thought happened to them, he replied: “They’ve been removed to hide evidence. Stuart was assaulted, quite possibly in the Jacuzzi, and then either died in the Jacuzzi  or went unconscious, and then, to make it look like a drowning, was thrown in the swimming pool”.

UNQUOTE

Stuart Lubbock was murdered on 31 March 2001. That was over 18 years and 10 months ago.

An Inquest was told, at the very beginning, by PC Jones of Essex Police, "Stuart's body was found in Michael Barrymore's swimming pool". That was a lie.

Furthermore, all the five top pathologists in the case were TOLD by senior Essex Police officers that he was 'found in the pool'. They took this to be a FACT. They did not know it was a LIE. Consequently they found themselves thoroughly confused about the true cause of death, as I showed in Chapters 11 to 14 of my July 2007 book on the case: "NOT AWIGHT: Getting Away With Murder". 



I wrote that book after fully researching this case during 2006 & 2007, with all the original police witness statements, expert medical and pathology reports etc.

Today it is 12 years and 7 months since my book was published.

There is now only one small point of difference between what Essex Police say about Stuart Lubbock's death and what I say.

They say that his body was 'thrown into the pool'.

There is no evidence, except from several lying witnesses, that he was ever in that pool.

Far more likely, I concluded in my book, the killers carefully laid his body out on the side of the pool, threw some buckets of water over it, and also forced some 'After Shock' drink down his throat to bolster their false claim that he had drowned due to excess alcohol and/or drugs.

-----

Am excited, but also very angry on behalf of Stuart and his family.

Many thanks once again to Jill Havern for providing this forum for me to be able to provide updates on the case and thank you to all who have supported me in my quest for justice for Stuart and his family.

Oh! and yes, my book 'NOT AWIGHT' is still on sale, contact me at ajsbennett@btinternet.com

A senior policeman said to me on twitter: "Barrymore knows what happened to Stuart. You don't die of anal injuries by doing backstroke in the pool."

Let's hope that justice is now seen to be done. Well done, Tony.

Tony Bennett wrote:Furthermore, all the five top pathologists in the case were TOLD by senior Essex Police officers that he was 'found in the pool'. They took this to be a FACT. They did not know it was a LIE. Consequently they found themselves thoroughly confused about the true cause of death

I find this rather perplexing.  The job of a forensic pathologist is to determine the cause of death by examining every part of the corpse, no matter how far removed from the suspected cause of death.  One or maybe two pathologists could perhaps be persuaded to 'overlook' vital evidence but five top pathologists?

I recall watching the television series 'Autopsy - The Last Hours of ....', presented by Dr Richard Shepherd, a renowned well respected forensic pathologist, formerly working for the Home Office.  His CV includes many high profile deaths.  

Fascinating!  It's difficult to believe a qualified experience pathologist would work only on the premise of what he/she's been told by the police - they are supposed to be an independent force assigned to determine the cause of death - without parameters.  

The series is well worth watching - even Elvis didn't escape the Doctor's thorough scrutiny.  The pathologist can determine when, how and what - even where!

All the 4 pathologists who were involved in the case BEFORE the inquest attended a special briefing by Essex Police in December 2001. There's a section in my book about this which IIRC was headed 'The Misleading Briefing'. I'll see if I can retrieve it and post that extract. The pathologists left after having been told (so they thought) what really happened.

Strangely (well, not so strangely actually), the exact same thing happened in the Lee Balkwell case. There, the police assembled a phalanx of expert engineers in the case, next to the concrete mixer in question and completely misinformed them about what really happened.

They asked the engineers this question: "How did the accident happen?" The question should have been: "Was this an accident?"

I'm with Dixon of Dock Green, who in one of the episodes said something like: "There's no-one lower than a corrupt copper".

Are you listening, Andy Redwood?

'They're PARASITES': 
Michael Barrymore breaks his silence over pool murder probe by liking fans' Instagram posts attacking Channel 4 documentary-makers
By Alexander Robertson For Mailonline 15:18 04 Feb 2020, updated 15:19 04 Feb 2020

         Stuart Lubbock died at Michael Barrymore's £2million Essex home back in 2001
         Chief Inspector Stephen Jennings claimed it was 'likely' multiple people involved
         DCI Jennings said eight people - including Barrymore - remain under suspicion
         Barrymore broke his silence today to reach out to supportive fans on Instagram 
 
Michael Barrymore has broken his silence for the first time since police urged him to come clean ahead of a new documentary examining the death of Stuart Lubbock.

The TV star reached out to supportive fans on social media as Essex Police revealed he was still under suspicion for the death along with seven other party guests.

At a press conference yesterday, Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Jennings said he believed at least two of the guests were responsible, given Mr Lubbock's injuries.

To coincide with a new Channel 4 documentary set to air on Thursday night, police revealed they were offering a £20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

Barrymore, 67, liked several Instagram posts today, including one describing Channel 4 as 'parasites' and another describing the new documentary as 'ridiculous'.

Michael Barrymore is pictured last Tuesday

Stuart Lubbock
 
Barrymore, 67, liked several Instagram posts today, including one describing Channel 4 as 'parasites' (shown right)
 
Police believe Mr Lubbock was sexually assaulted and murdered with his body possibly moved from a jacuzzi to make it look like he had accidentally drowned.
 
A photograph taken by police near the pool shows blood on a towel that was later proved to belong to Mr Lubbock.
 
He replied to one comment, saying 'Thank you very much x' to a female fan after she said 'You're a legend'.

He liked a comment from Danny Bear, brother of Celebrity Big Brother winner Stephen Bear, who said: 'Parasites from Channel 4 still dragging up an incident many many years ago that Michael was NOT GUILTY of.

I'm disgusted that a man who entertained many generations including myself and all the Bears continues to make two steps forward and one step back.

'I want him back on our screens and convinced there are millions who also feel the same.'
Barrymore also liked a comment from Lorraine Emery which said: “Seems ridiculous and distressing to see that this has been brought up all over again. Stay strong Michael, we are all behind you.'

Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Jennings said that given the severity of Stuart Lubbock's injuries it was 'likely' more than one person had been complicit.

All eight people at the party held at the former TV star's home remain under suspicion – including Barrymore himself, DCI Jennings added.

The new appeal will focus on the possibility that the murder was 'covered up', after a hot tub thermometer and a broken shed handle both went missing from the scene.


The other seven guests present on the night that Mr Lubbock died 


Jonathan Kenney
Kenney, from Blackpool in Lancashire, was Barrymore's boyfriend at the time of Mr Lubbock's death.
He was formerly a drag queen but more recently had been working as a driving test examiner.
Kenney, along with Barrymore, invited the other seven guests over to the house after they partied together at the Millennium nightclub in Harlow, Essex.
He was one of three people arrested on suspicion of murder by Essex Police in 2007 before he was later released without charge.
 
Justin Merritt
Former dustman Justin was unemployed when he went back to Barrymore's house along with his sister Kylie.
Reports from the time claimed Justin was an 'unofficial minder' to the TV star during that night.
He had walked up to Barrymore outside the nightclub earlier and said: 'I'll look after you. I'll be your security to get you home.'
Mr Merritt claimed to have shared a Jacuzzi with Mr Lubbock and last saw him alive 'bombing' in the pool and in high spirits.
He, along with Barrymore and Kenney, were arrested on suspicion of murder before ultimately being released. 
 
Kylie Merritt 
Kylie was Justin's sister and had been present with him in the nightclub when Justin had offered to be Barrymore's minder on the night.
The siblings, along with Barrymore and Mr Lubbock shared a taxi back to the house.
Miss Merritt would later claim that she had then seen Mr Lubbock 'larking about' by himself in the swimming pool.
On another occasion, she said she saw Barrymore with two men in a small room near his bedroom door.
She would also claim that Barrymore had produced cocaine on the night and had tried to rub the drug into My Lubbock's gums, something he denied.
Ms Merritt infamously took a lie detector test for the News of the World, which suggested she was not being truthful when questioned about what happened that day.
 
James Futers
Mr Futers was a chef who lived near Barrymore in Roydon, Essex.
He would tell a court how the TV star offered him 'white powder' shortly after he arrived at the house for the party.
Later he would add that he believed the drug to be cocaine. 
Mr Futers had met Barrymore on several previous occasions to have a drink and 'play cards'.
He had been at the nightclub with Barrymore that night and had agreed to go back to his house for an 'impromptu' gathering.
 
Simon Shaw
Mr Shaw had been invited to the party due to his friendship with Barrymore's neighbour Mr Futers.
During court testimony, he recounted how he spotted Mr Lubbock in the pool and jumped in to help him.
He said he tied to pull him up from the bottom of the pool but found him to heavy, returning for breath before going back and successfully lifting him out.
Mr Shaw then left the home with Mr Futers as he thought 'what happened was a bit scary', and was joined by Barrymore.
They all went back to Mr Shaw's house, where they spoke about what had occurred while Barrymore made phone calls to his 'PR man'.
 
Claire Jones and Kelly Campbell 
Ms Jones, a 17-year-old cashier at the time, and her friend Kelly Campbell had only met Barrymore hours early at the nightclub when they were invited back for the party.
She would later tell police how she saw Barrymore rummaging through drawers and changing his clothes before police arrived.
Ms Jones also told police that when Barrymore left the house he had a 'bundle of material' under his arm.
 


Mr Lubbock, who was found floating in the pool, had severe injuries consistent with rape, which officers believe could have been inflicted with either missing object.

Speaking at yesterday's police press conference, Mr Lubbock's father said he was convinced Barrymore knows more about the incident than he has revealed.

DCI Jennings called on all the eight people present to come forward with any new information, adding that '19 years is a long time' and 'loyalties change'.

He said: 'Nine people went to the party at Michael Barrymore's house, but only one of them – Stuart- ended up being violently sexually assaulted and murdered. 

'We know not everyone at the party was responsible for what happened, but someone was. 
'We also know that not everyone at that party may know what happened, but someone does. 

'We want the people who do have information to come forward and talk to us – 19 years is a long time, loyalties change and it is never too late to do the right thing. 

'Some people also arrived at the scene in the hours after Stuart's death. They may also hold key information and we would like to hear from them.' 

A police photograph taken in the days after the pool party shows where Mr Lubbock was said to have been pulled out of the water by guests 

Another image from Barrymore's house shows glasses stacked up in the kitchen sink The Channel 4 Documentary has exclusive photographs from inside Barrymore's house

Police revealed they are offering a £20,000 reward in conjunction with Crimestoppers for information leading to arrests.

DCI Jennings added: 'I can't rule out an individual but on the balance of probabilities from the level of intelligence we've got, it's more likely that more than one person was involved.

'I believe that he was raped and murdered that night. One or more of those party-goers are responsible for that serious sexual assault.' 

The body of Mr Lubbock, 31, was found in the pool of Barrymore's £2million home in Roydon, Essex, on March 31, 2001.

Other than Mr Lubbock, the other people present on the night were Barrymore, his ex Jonathan Kenney, Justin Merritt and his sister Kylie, Claire Jones and Kelly Campbell and Simon Shaw and James Futers.

Barrymore, one of ITV's biggest stars with a string of hit shows including Strike It Lucky, fled from the house before police arrived.

A post-mortem examination revealed Mr Lubbock, a divorced father-of-two from Harlow, had suffered major internal injuries consistent with rape.

DCI Stephen Jennings from Essex Police speaks at the force's headquarters in Chelmsford yesterday, ahead of the new Channel 4 documentary about the death of Stuart Lubbock Terry Lubbock, the father of Stuart Lubbock who was found dead in Michael Barrymrore's swimming pool, speaking at Essex Police HQ in Chelmsford, ahead of a new Channel 4 documentary about the death of his son.
 
The cause of death was never established and an open verdict was recorded after conflicting reports from pathologists. Cocaine, ecstasy and alcohol were found in his system.

Barrymore was arrested on suspicion of rape and serious sexual assault in 2007, along with two other people. No charges were brought due to lack of evidence.

Barrymore, now 67, – who has always denied any involvement in the death – launched a high court case for £2.4million damages for wrongful arrest. He received a nominal sum after Essex Police won an appeal.

Mr Lubbock's father Terry, 74, called for the TV presenter to 'clear your name' or 'put your hands up'.

He said: 'I think it's time he comes clean,' he said. 'It's time now Michael. I think you know more about this than you have said and the focus will be on you.

'You must know, I'm absolutely sure, I know you are involved in this. 

Michael Barrymore in December last year after he was forced to pull out of ITV's Dancing on Ice following a wrist injury Barrymore Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Jennings (pictured with Terry Lubbock) said that given the severity of Stuart Lubbock's injuries it was 'likely' more than one person had been complicit

There were reports about him not being there at that particular time and he has insisted that he doesn’t know. I’m absolutely sure he knows 100 per cent.

'It's time now for you to either clear your name or put your hands up to what happened because you must know.

'I think the people who were there in Michael Barrymore's home on that day, on that night, are thinking it hasn't gone away, it won't go away.

'Even the people who aren't directly involved in this must be starting to feel very, very uneasy and it's time now for them.

'The penny's dropped now, it's time for people to come forward whether they are directly involved or indirectly involved. Any bit of information they have got, they must come forward with that.' 


Barrymore: The Body In The Pool will be broadcast on Channel 4 on Thursday. 


The timeline of events following Stuart Lubbock's death


MARCH 31, 2001: Stuart Lubbock is found floating in a pool at Barrymore's then home in Roydon, Essex.
APRIL 2001: A post-mortem examination concludes the cause of death was drowning. Pathologists tell a hearing in Epping that traces of cocaine, ecstasy and alcohol were found in Mr Lubbock's system.
JUNE 2001: Barrymore is quizzed a number of times during the course of the criminal investigation and spends a night in police custody in June after being arrested on drugs allegations arising from the inquiry.
SEPTEMBER 13, 2002: The coroner recorded an open verdict on the death Mr Lubbock.
NOVEMBER 2002: Barrymore's lawyers successfully demanded that Essex Police re-investigate matters surrounding Mr Lubbock's death.
JANUARY 2006: Barrymore makes a high-profile return to the UK in January 2006 to take part in Celebrity Big Brother.
DECEMBER 2006: Police announce they will reopen the investigation after Barrymore claims there were other witnesses to the events of the night.
JUNE 14, 2007: Barrymore, his ex-partner Jonathan Kenney and Justin Merritt are arrested on suspicion of serious sexual assault and murder.
JULY 31, 2007: It is announced that Barrymore had been re-bailed to appear at an Essex Police station on September 10.
SEPTEMBER 10, 2007: Barrymore answers bail and police are granted a further 12 hours to question him. Barrymore and the two other men are later released without charge.
JULY 2015: It is revealed Barrymore is suing Essex police because his arrest in 2007 'damaged his career'.

The Sun, yesterday (4 February 2020)
========================== 


https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10887271/michael-barrymore-pool-party-death-mystery-unanswered-questions/
 
POOL RIDDLE 
 
The 8 unanswered questions surrounding the Barrymore pool death mystery – including what happened in the ‘missing hour’
 
1. Was Lubbock assaulted?
Drugs and alcohol were found in Lubbock's system when he died and all the guests at the party claimed he must have accidentally drowned after wandering outside.
However, pathologists examining Lubbock's body later found severe internal injuries, suggesting he may have been sexually assaulted.
While pathologists were unable to state exactly what was used in the alleged sexual assault of Lubbock, police confirmed at the time it was likely a hard object.
Barrymore has slammed the allegations of a possible sexual assault happening at his home from the outset - and instead believes Lubbock sustained the injuries after he was taken to hospital.
In his first major interview since the death, Barrymore told The Guardian in 2002 that he had a strong testimony from a nurse who helped attempt to revive Lubbock in the hospital.
Stuart Nairn, the duty nurse working at the time, claimed that medics had to warm Lubbock's body up in an attempt to revive him - resulting in a rectal thermometer being inserted 14 times.
Nairn described in a witness statement how he saw no evidence of bruising on injury at the time - despite getting a good view of the area for each of the thermometer insertions.
"I saw nothing unusual or untoward about it," Nairn said in the witness statement, according to The Guardian.
"It was completely normal. If it had been dilated and significantly bruised I am sure that I would have noticed. Moreover, I would have reported this to the doctor."
Barrymore went on to say pathologists only noticed the injuries around eight hours later, after the body had been transferred to the mortuary.
While Barrymore stated he wasn't sure exactly how the injuries occurred, he felt sure they happened after Lubbock was transferred there.


2. What caused Lubbock's facial haemorrhages?
The internal injuries weren't the only unexplained markings on Lubbock's body.
Pathologists also claimed in a report at the time that Lubbock had haemorrhages (small broken blood vessels) on his face, and claimed one possible explanation could be that he was "forcibly restrained" or squeezed round the neck.
"This could have been affected by obstruction of the mouth and nose, such as by suffocation, if the face had been compressed against bedding," pathologists said, according to the Mail.
"The body could then have been put into the pool, perhaps either in an attempt to 'revive' the deceased or make the death appear as a simple case of accidental drowning."
They claimed the haemorrhages on his face suggested "mechanical asphyxia" could have been a possible cause of death.
An inquest ultimately ruled the cause of death was "unascertainable" however, due to there being no solid witness evidence.
Barrymore has always maintained the death was accidental.
"The truth is there is no witness, or forensic evidence... which in any way supports the theory that he was attacked at my house," he wrote in his autobiography Awight Now previously.
No one has ever been charged in relation to Lubbock's death.


3. What happened to the missing thermometer and shed handle?
A swimming pool thermometer from the hot tub at Barrymore's home went missing following Lubbock's death, along with a broken shed handle, which was reportedly seen by officers.
Neither of the items were found in any bins at the property in Roydon and police have since claimed that either of them could have been used in a possible sex assault on the victim.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission confirmed in a report in 2009 that neither object was seized or forensically tested.
IPCC Commissioner David Petch said at the time: "We will probably never know whether the missing thermometer and door handle were evidentially important, but not securing these items was a failure and leaves questions unanswered."


4. Was the drowning faked?
Lubbock's father Terry and his solicitor Tony Bennett have previously claimed in a book that Lubbock may never have been in the pool at all.
They sensationally alleged that Lubbock's body may have been laid out by the side of the pool, before water was thrown over it, to make it look like he had drowned and was subsequently pulled out of the water.
The claim was never confirmed as a possibility by police.


5. What happened in the 'missing hour'?
According to multiple reports, Barrymore told police he found the body between 4.30am and 4.45am, with neighbours reporting hearing screams at around 5am.
However, an ambulance wasn't called until 5.46am.
While guests reported seeing Barrymore changing into a pair of shorts shortly before heading down to go to the jacuzzi - and subsequently alerting everyone of the body - questions have been raised over why the ambulance call was so long after neighbours' reports of screaming.


6. Did someone attempt to 'clean up' the scene?
Ahead of a Channel 4 documentary on the case this week, investigators have been looking into the possibility Lubbock's death was "covered up".
A 2002 inquest heard that Barrymore’s then-PA Michael Browne was called to the house - a clue that DCI Stephen Jennings delves into further on camera.
He has claimed that Browne was seen moving things around the home, after police failed to completely close it off.
DCI Stephen Jennings says on camera: "Throughout the investigation there have been suggestions there was a cover up. Michael Browne, who was Michael Barrymore’s PA at the time, was wrongfully allowed back into the scene where he was seen to be tidying up some items after we’d managed to photograph the scene and that those items have gone missing and we’d never seized them."
Meanwhile, party guest Claire Jones previously told police she saw Barrymore rummaging through drawers and changing his clothes before police arrived, according to the Mail.
She also claimed he had a "bundle of material" under his arm when she saw him leaving the house, before police arrived.
Barrymore has always denied any involvement and told police he fled the scene before they arrived because he "felt sick" and "panicked" after seeing the body.


7. Could Barrymore swim?
Barrymore claimed at the time of the original police investigation that he did not dive into his swimming pool to try and rescue Lubbock because he couldn't swim.
However, the entertainer's ex wife Cheryl later branded the claim false and said he had always been a competent swimmer.
She has since passed away.
Her claim was supported by Barrymore's former drugs counsellor David Benson in 2002 who told GMTV at the time that he had seen Barrymore swimming on a previous visit to his home.


8. Were Lubbock's clothes changed?
While pathologists concluded that Lubbock would have bled heavily after suffering the injuries he was found to have, only a small amount of blood was found on his clothing when he died - on the fly of his boxer shorts.
It prompted speculation that he could have been changed into fresh clothes following his death - although that claim has never been proven.
While no charges were brought against any of the people present at the mansion at the time of Lubbock's death - including Barrymore - the new documentary and police investigation will now attempt to solve some of these major unanswered mysteries hanging over the case.

Is the C4 program going to try and show Barrymore innocent?

It would not surprise me.

I've just looked at rectal thermometers (you learn something new everyday).

This should be easy to rule out.

We'll see what is said.

BlueBag wrote:Is the C4 program going to try and show Barrymore innocent?

It would not surprise me.

I doubt it.

I acted as an unpaid researcher to the company that have produced this documentary. 

At an absolute minimum, Barrymore

1 Knows exactly what happened 
2 Actively participated in the cover-up with his Manager, Mike Brown
3 Lied to police and to others many times about what really happened that night   
4 Was seen, carrying a bundle under his arm, to run off with a village friend (James Futers) to his flat, as the Ambulance Service was called.

I don't think that C4 can hide any of that.

For the record, here are my answers to The Sun's eight 'unanswered questions':

1. Was Lubbock assaulted?

ANSWER: Of course. Probably by more than one person. The post-mortem photos of his anal injuries revealed an assault of extreme brutality.
 
2. What caused Lubbock's facial haemorrhages?


ANSWER:  These ‘facial haemorrhages' are known as ‘petechiae’. I agree with the pathologists’ assessments as set out by The Sun below, quote
 
“The internal injuries weren't the only unexplained markings on Lubbock's body.
Pathologists also claimed in a report at the time that Lubbock had haemorrhages (small broken blood vessels) on his face, and claimed one possible explanation could be that he was ‘forcibly restrained’ or squeezed round the neck.
‘This could have been affected by obstruction of the mouth and nose, such as by suffocation, if the face had been compressed against bedding,’ pathologists said, according to the Mail.
‘The body could then have been put into the pool, perhaps either in an attempt to 'revive' the deceased or make the death appear as a simple case of accidental drowning.’
They claimed the haemorrhages on his face suggested ‘mechanical asphyxia’ could have been a possible cause of death”.

3. What happened to the missing thermometer and shed handle?


ANSWER: No-one knows. As The Sun reported yesterday: “A swimming pool thermometer went missing following Lubbock's death, along with a broken shed handle, which was reportedly seen by officers. Neither of the items were found in any bins at the property in Roydon and police have since claimed that either of them could have been used in a possible sex assault on the victim. The Independent Police Complaints Commission confirmed in a report in 2009 that neither object was seized or forensically tested. IPCC Commissioner David Petch said at the time: "We will probably never know whether the missing thermometer and door handle were evidentially important, but not securing these items was a failure and leaves questions unanswered”.

4. Was the drowning faked?


REPLY:  YES,
 
5. What happened in the 'missing hour'?


REPLY: Stuart Lubbock’s body was cleaned up. He was dressed in a pair of white shorts and his body was laid out by the pool and water thrown over him just before the Ambulance Service arrived, to fake a drowning.   

6. Did someone attempt to 'clean up' the scene?


REPLY: Absolutely. As The Sun reported:  “A 2002 inquest heard that Barrymore’s then-PA Michael Browne was called to the house - a clue that DCI Stephen Jennings delves into further on camera. He has claimed that Browne was seen moving things around the home, after police failed to completely close it off…party guest Claire Jones previously told police she saw Barrymore rummaging through drawers and changing his clothes before police arrived, according to the Mail. She also claimed he had a "bundle of material" under his arm when she saw him leaving the house, before police arrived”.

7. Could Barrymore swim?


REPLY: Yes, but this is irrelevant. 


8. Were Lubbock's clothes changed?

REPLY:  At around 4.00am, all witnesses agree that Stuart Lubbock was in a jacuzzi with Barrymore’s then lover Jonathan Kenney and Justin Merritt. Merritt’s sister Kylie was plying him with drink. If, as Essex police now seem to think, he may have been assaulted near the jacuzzi, he would not need to have been  ‘changed’. However, I think it is more likely he was raped to death in Barrymore’s bungalow.

Dear God, Stuart died an horrendous death didn't he? He must have been screaming in agony, why on earth didn't they stop what they were doing? They were supposed to be friends weren't they?

I dread to think how his parents have coped with this all these years on top of fighting for justice aswell. It's disgusting what they're going through. They just can't be at peace can they, after almost 20 years. And they say 'Time heals'. Not in their case it doesn't.

RIP Stuart

I've set the TV to record this documentary.

Jill Havern wrote:Dear God, Stuart died an horrendous death didn't he? He must have been screaming in agony, why on earth didn't they stop what they were doing? They were supposed to be friends weren't they?

There are lots of stories about celebrity parties.

It's a different world.

That's just what I was thinking.  

People die as a result of dangerous deviant sexual acts, not necessarily celebrities but I think it more likely in their strange world where the use of hard drugs and alcohol abuse are common place.

All inhibitions are thrown to the winds I understand.  Thankfully I can't speak from experience.

That aside, I still can't understand why the pathologists failed to perform an effective routine autopsy. It's their job!

Verdi wrote:That's just what I was thinking.  

People die as a result of dangerous deviant sexual acts, not necessarily celebrities but I think it more likely in their strange world where the use of hard drugs and alcohol abuse are common place.

All inhibitions are thrown to the winds I understand.  Thankfully I can't speak from experience.

That aside, I still can't understand why the pathologists failed to perform an effective routine autopsy.  It's their job!

It is partly what PeterMac said: "The power of the first story".

In this case, that was strengthened by the police adopting and even embellishing the first story, viz. "He was found in the pool".

The pathologists were assured of that fact by senior Essex Police officers.

The mainstream media never challenged it.     

The Inquest in September 2002 began with Essex Police's P C Jones telling the whole Inquest, including the Inquest jury: "Stuart Lubbock's body was found in the pool". 

The actual post-mortem was carried out by Dr Michael John Heath, a Home Office pathologist subsequently discredited. He was involved in many high profile cases. He actually resigned as a Home Office pathologist 6 days after I first became involved in the case (by issuing a summons against Michael Barrymore for alleged drugs offences.     

Now, is it the pathologists' job to question that? Possibly. But when I got hold of the police witness statements, it took me long periods of study, note-taking and analysis to realise, a few weeks later: "Wow! They wer all b____ lying!"  

Barrymore had numerous high level police helpers. How many times was he caught in hotel rooms with drugs - and never prosecuted? Barrymore was a veritable industry, producing shedloads of money. Producers, cameramen, TV companies, PR men, managers, drivers, minders, script-writers, secretaries, tailors, clothes shops etc. Of course he had friends in high places. He and Princess Diana were often in each other's homes. Why was Barrymore's manager, Mike Brown, allowed to take the pool temperature, an absolutely critical forensic issue? By the way, Mike Brown's home in London Road, Brentwood, was bang opposite Essex Police's Major Crimes Unit. The pub next door was known as 'the copper's pub', Handy, eh?    



The title of this C4 documentary is: "Barrymore. The Boy in the Pool".

The title amounts to a lie. I shall be bitterly disappointed if the programme does not clearly show that the 'drowning' was a hoax.

Tony Bennett wrote:
The title of this C4 documentary is: "Barrymore. The Boy in the Pool".

The title is 'Barrymore: The Body in the Pool'! But I like yours better.

I'd prepare for disappointment, the trailer has a newsreader reporting the body was found "floating" in the pool as if to emphasise the point. Let's see who they show saying this.

The power of the first story is paramount

Dr Kelly committed suicide by slitting his wrists
CC Mike Todd committed suicide by drinking gin half way up a mountain
Jeffrey Epstein committed suicide by hanging himself in his cell
Madeleine . . .
Stuart . . .
Lee . . .
Errr, NO.  In each case that is yet to be proved.   
In Gladiator, Oliver Reed said to Crowe "Win the crowd"
Spot the difference.
Vox Populi, vox dei ? ?

BlueBag wrote:

Jill Havern wrote:Dear God, Stuart died an horrendous death didn't he? He must have been screaming in agony, why on earth didn't they stop what they were doing? They were supposed to be friends weren't they?

There are lots of stories about celebrity parties.

It's a different world.

plus MP's

@Tony Bennett wrote:It is partly what PeterMac said: "The power of the first story"

A somewhat simplistic, if not ever so slightly arrogant view, that generalizes the human mind.  The human mind is a complex mechanism that can't be categorized nor compartmentalized nor generalized.  We are all individuals with our own individual outlook on life.  Some might follow the first story, some might not.

Situations we are not personally involved with do not direct our lives, we are but onlookers with differing views.  We all have our own tragedy and joy that absorbs the very fibre of our  being - we can't be expected to take on and fight the world's strife in addition to own microcosm.

That aside, the role of a forensic pathologist..

Forensic pathology is pathology that focuses on determining the cause of death by examining a corpse. A post mortem is performed by a medical examiner, usually during the investigation of criminal law cases and civil law cases in some jurisdictions.

As I said up-page. the forensic pathologist is an independent body assigned to examine a corpse and determine the cause of death.  They are not guided by the governing police investigation - in short, they are not told to forensically examine a corpse on a predetermined investigative theory.

Watch Dr Shepherd's 'Autopsy - The Last Hours Of ....'

Barrymore: the Body in the Pool: when the documentary about Stuart Lubbock's death is on Channel 4 tonight – and what it reveals

In the early hours of 31 March 2001, emergency services in Essex received a call that a body had been found in the TV star's swimming pool

Michael Barrymore was one of the most popular TV stars in Britain - until one night in 2001.

In the early hours of 31 March that year, emergency services in Essex received a call that a body had been found in the swimming pool at Barrymore's home. When Paramedics arrived on the scene, the corpse of Stuart Lubbock was found lying limp and lifeless by the side of the pool.

The disturbing event quickly became one of the most high-profile unexplained deaths in recent history as the press pawed over every detail of the case.

Now, 19 years later, this new Channel 4 documentary aims to forensically re-examine the evidence in an attempt to shed new light on what  happened that night.

Here's everything you need to know about it.
What time is it on and when?

Barrymore: The Body in the Pool will air on Thursday 6 February at 9pm on Channel 4.

The documentary is 90 minutes long and will be available to watch on All 4 catch up shortly afterwards.
What can we expect from it?

Plenty of new details from the individuals closest to the Barrymore case - including the police detectives who worked on the mystery.

It has taken the award-winning team at KEO films 18 months to piece together never-before-seen material from the crime scene and the investigation that followed.

The documentary examines new and old evidence, weaving in the perspectives of the Lubbock family, forensic pathologists, eyewitnesses and more in an attempt to get to the bottom of what happened that night.

It also explores the changing culture of tabloid news and our relationship to celebrity culture, as well as attitudes towards homosexuality.

No one has yet been held accountable'

"This documentary is about the questions around what happened to my son Stuart Lubbock," Terry Lubbock, Stuart’s father, said ahead of the documentary's release.

"Finally. The story has become so distorted and confused over the years. So much has been said and written. It's time to put all the facts together in one place."

Ian Katz, Director of Programmes, added: “The death of Stuart Lubbock found in Michael Barrymore’s pool is one of the most iconic and controversial cases of recent times. This remarkable film, with never before seen police evidence and exclusive interviews with those involved in the investigation, reminds us that 19 years on no one has yet been held accountable for the tragedy.”
The personal assistant

The film has attracted a lot of attention from the press ahead of its release, reigniting public interest in the mystery.

Barrymore continues to maintain that he had no hand in the death of Lubbock, insisting that he found the body already drowned.

He claims  that he called out to other members of the party to jump in and pull him out of the pool.

However, Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Jennings of Essex Police makes the claim on camera that Barrymore's personal assistant, Michael Browne, removed items from the home when it was insecurely sealed off by the police, the discovery of which could be the key to solving the case.

This includes the swimming pool thermometer, which is significant because it’s believed it could be the item that was used to sexually assault Lubbock before he was killed.

An autopsy revealed that Lubbock had suffered severe internal injuries, which are likely to have been caused by an act of rape with an item.

"I was shown a photograph at the police headquarters and it shows on the wall of the Jacuzzi a pool thermometer that would have four cutting edges," Coroner Michael Heath stated.

"An object like this or even this object could have produced the injuries I identified on Stuart’s anus if this had been passed into the anal canal a number of times."

Browne has always denied any involvement in the crime.
Crime scene mistakes

The documentary features audio from the original phone call made to the emergency services on the night Lubbock died.

The caller said: "A fella has drowned in the pool. We have got him out.

"There's a party going on and someone has just gone out and found him. I think the geezer's dead mate."

The initial call, as well as eyewitness testimony on the night, coloured detective's judgement of the case, leading to a catalog of errors.

"We did make mistakes in terms of the crime scene," DCI Jennings admits. "A lot of witnesses said it was a tragic accident so we believed them at that point."

The scene had been secured "but not to the standard we would expect" he continued - a slip-up he believes allowed Barrymore's PA to tamper with the scene and remove evidence.
New investigators assigned

The most shocking conclusion from the show once again came from DCI Jennings.

"I believe very much that Stuart Lubbock was raped and murdered that night," he said.

He added that he still wants to find two items that went missing from the scene.

"After we’d managed to photograph the scene, items have gone ­missing and we’ve never seized them."

These include the pool thermometer and a handle from a cupboard.

A statement from Essex police added: "As these have never been ­recovered and ­forensically tested their evidential ­importance is not known and it cannot be ruled out that they were used to ­inflict injuries upon Stuart."

The force confirmed that new investigators have been assigned to the case for the first time in 13 years.
Barrymore's arrest and compensation attempt

Barrymore was arrested in connection with the death in 2007 - six years after the event in question. However, he was released without charge, and a high court judge later ruled that arrest was unlawful because the arresting officer had no reasonable grounds to suspect Barrymore.

Barrymore did attempt to win compensation from Essex Police because of the damage he felt the arrest had done to his career. He dropped the case in June after Court of Appeal judges concluded he would only be entitled to receive "nominal" damages.

https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/barrymore-body-in-pool-stuart-lubbock-death-channel-4-documentary-when-date-time-tonight-1383482

Verdi:
 
‘As I said up-page. the forensic pathologist is an independent body assigned to examine a corpse and determine the cause of death.  They are not guided by the governing police investigation - in short, they are not told to forensically examine a corpse on a predetermined investigative theory.’
 
Fine in theory, but how many cases have we seen over the years when a second or third truly independent autopsy throws up something different?
 
If there was no outside interference, maybe the truth would out from the get go and we wouldn't have these anomalies leading to the so called 'conspiracy theories'.
 
Excluding MM, the five cases PeterMac quotes above have all had dubious, politically sensitive or corrupt policing verdicts, which have been subsequently challenged by outside experts.
 
Similarly, can you say with 100% certainty that the FSS report for MM was not watered down due to external influences that may well have emanated from Gordon Brown? 

Doug D wrote:Fine in theory, but how many cases have we seen over the years when a second or third truly independent autopsy throws up something different?

I totaly agree with what you say, I'm the first to doubt reports spread abroad about any incident, no matter what the subject matter.

I understood it to be said that the pathologists involved with the autopsy of Stuart Lubbock's examination worked only on a theory presented by Essex police officers, hence questions surrounding the autopsy report/s. Not because they were 'told' how to conduct the authopsy but a result of preconceived opinion instilled into the mind by the police investigation and media coverage - if you get my drift.

It follows, if senior police officer/s 'told' or let's say 'pursuaded' the pathologists how to conduct the autopsy and hinted at the desired examination outcome, then that's another matter entirely but that's not how I read it. Maybe I misunderstood what I read.  I don't dispute for a second that the police are capable of perverting the course of justice (read corruption).

It's only compoaratively recently I've taken any notice of this particular case, thanks to Tony's updates I'm now a bit more up to speed.  

Whatever, I will hopefully watch the documentary tonight or later on catch-up.  My questions might be answered.

Verdi wrote:

Doug D wrote:Fine in theory, but how many cases have we seen over the years when a second or third truly independent autopsy throws up something different?

I totally agree with what you say, I'm the first to doubt reports spread abroad about any incident, no matter what the subject matter.

I understood it to be said that the pathologists involved with the autopsy of Stuart Lubbock's examination worked only on a theory presented by Essex police officers, hence questions surrounding the autopsy report/s. Not because they were 'told' how to conduct the autopsy but a result of preconceived opinion instilled into the mind by the police investigation and media coverage - if you get my drift.

It follows, if senior police officer/s 'told' or let's say 'persuaded' the pathologists how to conduct the autopsy and hinted at the desired examination outcome, then that's another matter entirely but that's not how I read it. Maybe I misunderstood what I read.  I don't dispute for a second that the police are capable of perverting the course of justice (read corruption).

It's only compoaratively recently I've taken any notice of this particular case, thanks to Tony's updates I'm now a bit more up to speed.  

Whatever, I will hopefully watch the documentary tonight or later on catch-up.  My questions might be answered.

Good observations from both @DougD and @Verdi - thank you.

Let me mention, in advance of the C4 programme, one thing I don't think I've ever mentioned on this forum before.

Namely...

The same pathologist who did the first autopsy on Stuart Lubbock in April 2001 also did the first autopsy on Lee Balkwell in July 2002. Both of course were Essex cases.

That pathologist - Dr Michael John Heath - was DEFINITELY incompetent - see this 2009 report in the Daily Telegraph.  

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/5509070/Home-Office-pathologist-admits-arrogance-over-death-findings.html


Dr Michael John Heath. He was certainly incompetent. But was he also corrupt?

(Incidentally, Dr Heath resigned from the Home Office Panel 6 days after the first account appeared in the press of my challenge to Barrymore's account of how Stuart died)

I also have very good reason to believe that Dr Michael Heath was corrupt. He was the 'go to' pathologist - Home Office approved let's not forget - for both Essex Police and the Metropolitan Police, in 'difficult' or 'awkward' cases.

Dr Heath's verdict on Stuart Lubbock's death was unequivocal: 'Drowned'.  Let's see if Channel 4 dares to mention his role in the case.

He was also the pathologist in the case of another case I investigated - that of 28-year-old single gay man Alec Barrack:

https://www.gainsboroughstandard.co.uk/whats-on/arts/i-want-truth-and-justice-1-3666629

Alec's father left the family when he was young and he was a lonely, unemployed man looking for love. He had the misfortune to meet a Crown Prosecution Service lawyer in a Hackney pub one Saturday night. The lawyer was into S & M and placed a 'balloon head' device over his head after shaving off all his pubic hairs. The idea of this, apparently, was to deprive Alec of oxygen and so to increase sexual pleasure. He died from asphyxiation. Dr Heath was called in and said he 'died from an asthma attack'. Oh, and the gay Senior Investigation Officer in the case, Detective Inspector Baff, later committed suicide.

It's all in Doris Barrack's book, I wrote this news release a few years ago:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Death at the hands of a CPS Lawyer? - The tragic Alex Barrack story
 
Just published: “The Death of Alex Barrack: A Mother’s long search for truth and justice”, ISBN 978-095633-512-8
 
This powerful book tells the story of Doris Barrack’s only son Alex. Caught up in the messy divorce of his parents, he struggled for identity and in his late teens realised he was homosexual.
 
http://www.gainsboroughstandard.co.uk/news/i_want_truth_and_justice_1_3666629
 
He drifted into the gay scene in London, looking for love and for, perhaps, a life-long  partner. He befriended Steve, a fellow gay, and helped to look after him as he needed more and more care.
 
On 23 March 1996, to celebrate his 28^th birthday, Mrs Barrack visited him in London and was pleased to find him enrolling for a preparatory course in readiness for enrolling in University that autumn.  
 
But one fateful night just six weeks later  - 4 May 1996 - Alex ventured out to a gay night club at The London Apprentice, Hackney, now the Joiner’s Arms - and still a gay pub. He asked his friend Steve to go with him, but he was feeling tired and declined. Alex left home at between 9.00pm and 9.30pm, and got the tube to Hackney, hoping to gain free admission at the London Apprentice before 11.00pm.
 
What precisely happened during the next six hours is not clear, but what is known is that, in the early hours of the morning, Alex found himself at 14 The Driftway, Grove Road, LONDON E3, the home of one Robert Thompson Simpson, a Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) lawyer who worked at CPS headquarters in central London, near Tower Bridge.
 
At 4.54am, Simpson made a 999 call claiming that Alex was dying, or ‘may have just died’. An ambulance crew arrived 16 minutes later, to find his jaw rigid, rigor mortis already setting in, and his mouth full of vomit. His body was naked, with his pubic hairs freshly shaved. It became clear to Mrs Barrack much later that Alex had had placed over him what is called a ‘balloon-head device’, used to restrict oxygen and create a ‘hypoxic’ state as a means of heightening sexual excitement for all concerned. It is Mrs Barrack’s conviction that her son died because this device was kept on too long by CPS lawyer Simpson, and perhaps by others who were also present (though Simpson denied this). Also found at Simpson’s flat was a range of sado-masochistic paraphernalia, including manacles.
 
Mrs Barrack was initially tricked by the investigating police into thinking that her son had died from an asthma a attack (he had mild asthma and had a Ventolin inhaler). The Norfolk-based Pathologist called to the scene was none other than Dr Michael John Heath, the same pathologist who falsely claimed that Stuart Lubbock had ‘drowned’ at Michael Barrymore’s home on 1 April 2001. Heath resigned as a Home Office pathologist days after an application had been made to summons Barrymore for drugs and other offences committed on the night Stuart Lubbock died. Later in the same year Heath was found guilty of professional malpractice in several cases at an Old Bailey hearing. He was also criticised by Dr Benjamin Swift after Heath had carried out a deficient autopsy on the body of Lee Balkwell, who was found dead in as-yet unexplained circumstances in a concrete mixer at just after 1.00am on Friday 18 July 2002. 
 
Mrs Barrack was only told the date of the Inquest at the last moment. The Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Baff, was another homosexual who took part in the cover-up of the true circumstances of Alex’s death. He had been tipped for further promotion in the Met and was already the highest ranking homosexual police officer in the country.  Soon after Mrs Barrack demanded to meet him, in 1997 (after the Inquest had recorded a verdict of ‘Accidental Death’) - in an attempt to uncover the true circumstances of her son’s death - Baff was found hanged from the landing of his flat. An Inquest ruled that he committed suicide. He had recently been linked to a paedophile ring in east London.
 
http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/gay-police-officer-hanged-himself-after-binge-1.382411
 
The Inquest into Alex’s death was a farce, and the police ‘lost’ vital evidence including, crucially, photos seized from Simpson’s Pentax camera, one of which pictured a naked man wearing a balloon-head device.
 
As Mrs Barrack discloses in pp. 160-5 of her book, Simpson was arrested on suspicion of murdering Alec Barrack, but - according to a Detective Inspector Bathie - the CPS were personally ordered by the then Director of Public Prosecutions, Dame  Barbara Mills, not to prosecute him. At the same time, Sun journalist Ian Hepburn informed Mrs Barrack that Simpson’s role at the CPS was a ‘Senior Prosecutor’.   
 
Robert Thompson Simpson continues to this day to work for the CPS. 
 
Doris Barrack’s book can be bought via her website: Alex Barrack - Justice Denied, at:
 
http://www.alexbarrack-justicedenied.co.uk/
 
http://www.alexbarrack-justicedenied.co.uk/about.html
   
     



.

Dr Michael Heath
 
Some interesting results when you google his name.
 
From the link TB supplied above dated 2009:
 
‘He no longer works in the field of forensic pathology and conducts post-mortems on behalf of coroners but is now facing a General Medical Council hearing in which his fitness to continue practising medicine is being questioned………
 
………….He was now solely concentrating on coronial autopsy work and said his approach in that field was "completely different".
He said he consulted colleagues if he needed assistance and always liaised with a coroner to ensure they were happy with his conduct.’
 
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/5509070/Home-Office-pathologist-admits-arrogance-over-death-findings.html
 
No sign of the GMC hearing on google.
 
On the GMC Specialist Register there is a Michael John Heath who qualified in 1975 (the right year) who is ‘registered with a licence to practice’, so it looks like he is still on board.
 
I just hope he is not assisting the Surrey Coroner with the death of Kevin Halligen aka Richard Powell!

Doug D wrote:Dr Michael Heath
 
Some interesting results when you google his name.
 
From the link TB supplied above dated 2009:
 
‘He no longer works in the field of forensic pathology and conducts post-mortems on behalf of coroners but is now facing a General Medical Council hearing in which his fitness to continue practising medicine is being questioned………
 
………….He was now solely concentrating on coronial autopsy work and said his approach in that field was "completely different".
He said he consulted colleagues if he needed assistance and always liaised with a coroner to ensure they were happy with his conduct.’
 
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/5509070/Home-Office-pathologist-admits-arrogance-over-death-findings.html
 
No sign of the GMC hearing on google.
 
On the GMC Specialist Register there is a Michael John Heath who qualified in 1975 (the right year) who is ‘registered with a licence to practice’, so it looks like he is still on board.
 
I just hope he is not assisting the Surrey Coroner with the death of Kevin Halligen aka Richard Powell!

I'm surprised he is still 'fit to practise' after all the many scandals surrounding him.

If he IS still 'fit to practice', he is however definitely NOT still on the 'Home Office Approved' Panel.

Not Michael Heath, but even when the pathologists come up with something seemingly sensible, the Met have the ability to turn it around!
 
Gareth Williams

‘The coroner found in a narrative verdict that Williams's death was "unnatural and likely to have been criminally mediated". The coroner was "satisfied that on the balance of probabilities that Gareth was killed unlawfully".There was insufficient evidence to give a verdict of unlawful killing. The coroner concluded that another party placed the bag containing Williams into the bath, and on the balance of probabilities locked the bag. No fingerprints were found around the bath. The coroner was critical of SIS for failing to report Williams missing for seven days, which caused extra anguish and suffering for his family, and led to the loss of forensic evidence.
The coroner rejected suicide, interest in bondage or cross-dressing, or "auto-erotic activity" being involved in Williams's death. She said his visits to bondage websites only occurred intermittently and were not of a frequency to indicate an active interest. The coroner condemned leaks about cross-dressing as a possible attempt at media manipulation…….
 
……….The finding by Westminster coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox prompted a reinvestigation by the Metropolitan Police lasting a further 12 months which officers said had been allowed unprecedented access to serving MI6 staff following strong criticism at the inquest of the spying agency's actions following the death of Mr Williams.

Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt announced that despite a re-examination of all evidence and the investigation of new leads no definitive answers had been obtained as to the cause of Williams's death and the "most probable scenario" was that he had died alone in his flat in Pimlico, central London, as the result of accidentally locking himself inside the bag.’


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Gareth_Williams

Drat, I wasn't able to watch the documentary - now I'll have to wait.

Please someone put me out of my misery and tell me how it faired

Here is the programme. I haven't seen it yet.
https://www.channel4.com/programmes/barrymore-the-body-in-the-pool/on-demand/69718-001

I'd forgotten the Gareth Williams case... I'm going to have to refresh my memory.