Police are 'ready to charge suspect over death at Michael Barrymore's pool in 2001'

by **Jill Havern** 04.05.21 4:46

Police are 'ready to charge suspect over death at Michael Barrymore's pool in 2001'

Stuart Lubbock was found dead in the pool of Michael Barrymore's home in 2001
Police are now ready to 'imminently' send a file to the CPS, according to reports
It comes after a man, 50, was arrested on suspicion of murder and rape

By HENRY MARTIN FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 00:01, 4 May 2021 | UPDATED: 00:02, 4 May 2021

Police are set to charge a suspect over the death of a man at Michael Barrymore's home 20 years ago, according to reports.
Stuart Lubbock, 31, was found dead in the pool of Mr Barrymore's £2million Essex home in 2001.
Police are now ready to 'imminently' send a file to the Crown Prosecution Service after a man, 50, was arrested on suspicion of murder and rape, The Sun reports.
It is claimed that the dossier includes evidence relating to alleged involvement of the suspect in Mr Lubbock's death.
His 76-year-old father Terry Lubbock, who is battling cancer, was thankful for the news, but said his only regret is that 'whatever happens I will never have the day in court to face my son's killer'.
Police are 'ready to charge suspect over death at Michael Barrymore's pool in 2001' 40581040-9510293-Michael_Barrymore_68_pictured_walking_his_dog_with_a_friend_in_W-a-55_1619388102506

Police are 'ready to charge suspect over death at Michael Barrymore's pool in 2001' 40581040-9510293-Michael_Barrymore_68_pictured_walking_his_dog_with_a_friend_in_W-a-55_1619388102506

Michael Barrymore, 68, (pictured walking his dog with a friend in March) reportedly met with police after Stuart Lubbock was found dead in his swimming pool during a party at his house in Roydon, Essex
Police are 'ready to charge suspect over death at Michael Barrymore's pool in 2001' 42206100-9539251-Mr_Lubbock_31_pictured_had_been_attending_a_party_at_Barrymore_s-a-49_1620081553791

Police are 'ready to charge suspect over death at Michael Barrymore's pool in 2001' 42206100-9539251-Mr_Lubbock_31_pictured_had_been_attending_a_party_at_Barrymore_s-a-49_1620081553791

Mr Lubbock, 31, (pictured) had been attending a party at Barrymore's luxury home in Roydon with eight other people when he died
Stuart's brother Kevin, 53, said: 'This shows why my dad has never given up fighting for the justice we all deserve.'
Police reportedly say they have made a 'substantial and detailed investigation' and will be handing a file to the CPS 'for their consideration and decision'.
Prosecutors will possibly look at it this week before deciding what charges, if any, to bring.
A source said police think they have enough evidence for the case to go to court.
It comes following revelations that Mr Barrymore, 68, had spoken with police about the death, and the case's lead officer, Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Jennings, had visited Stuart's father.
A source said: 'All Terry has ever wanted is justice for his boy. It breaks his heart he may not live to see it — but the next best thing is knowing there are good people.'
A 50-year-old man, who was arrested on suspicion of murder and indecent assault in Cheshire on March 17 after 'significant new information' came to light, was released under investigation earlier last month.
Butcher Mr Lubbock, 31, had been attending a party at Barrymore's luxury home in Roydon with eight other people when he died.
Mike Browne, his former agent, said: 'The police asked us if we had anything new that might have come to mind in the last 20 years but we don't.
'We both just want this to be resolved for everyone's sake.'
Mike Browne said Essex Police detectives visited his home earlier - shortly after a man, 50, was held in Cheshire in connection with Stuart's death.
Police are 'ready to charge suspect over death at Michael Barrymore's pool in 2001' 24245406-9379611-Police_believe_Mr_Lubbock_was_sexually_assaulted_and_murdered_wi-a-9_1616136327582

Police are 'ready to charge suspect over death at Michael Barrymore's pool in 2001' 24245406-9379611-Police_believe_Mr_Lubbock_was_sexually_assaulted_and_murdered_wi-a-9_1616136327582

Pictured: Michael Barrymore's swimming pool. Police reportedly say they have made a 'substantial and detailed investigation' and will be handing a file to the CPS 'for their consideration and decision'
Police are 'ready to charge suspect over death at Michael Barrymore's pool in 2001' 40587740-9510293-image-a-2_1619455264508

Police are 'ready to charge suspect over death at Michael Barrymore's pool in 2001' 40587740-9510293-image-a-2_1619455264508

Mr Lubbock, 31, had been attending a party at Barrymore's luxury home in the Essex village of Roydon with eight other people on March 31, 2001
He told the Mirror: 'They just really wanted to clarify if I was aware of anything coming to light over the last 20 years. Of course, my honest answer was believe me, if anything had done, you would have been made aware of it'.
Stuart was found floating in Mr Barrymore's swimming pool but nobody has been brought to justice for causing his death.
Detectives believe that Mr Lubbock may also have been abused.
The initial investigation was deeply flawed after officers failed to secure the crime scene and assumed Stuart had drowned.
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.
The coroner recorded an open verdict.
Stuart Lubbock's death shocked Britain and ended Michael Barrymore's TV career overnight. The star, who made millions as one of the UK's top TV personalities of the 1980s and 1990s, has always denied playing any part in his suspected murder.
He has been reduced to playing Strike It Lucky live with fans on Instagram and was last seen on TV during a stint on Celebrity Big Brother in 2006.
A planned appearance on Dancing on Ice last year never happened after he broke his wrist and he was never invited back.
Last year's Channel 4 documentary about the case prompted 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.'
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9539251/Police-ready-charge-suspect-death-Michael-Barrymores-pool-2001.html