STUART Lubbock’s death in Michael Barrymore’s swimming pool remains an unsolved mystery. But how did the dad-of-two and up in the Essex mansion and what exactly happened to him? Who was Stuart Lubbock? The body of Stuart Lubbock, 31, was found face-down in the swimming pool of TV presenter and comedian Michael Barrymore on March […]
STUART Lubbock’s death in Michael Barrymore’s swimming pool remains an unsolved mystery.
But how did the dad-of-two and up in the Essex mansion and what exactly happened to him?
The body of Stuart Lubbock, 31, was found face-down in the swimming pool of TV presenter and comedian Michael Barrymore on March 31, 2001.
Lubbock, a dad-of-two from Harlow, and others had been enjoying an all-night party at the star’s then mansion in Roydon, Essex.
Barrymore had invited the meat factory supervisor back to his home for a private party after meeting him at the Millennium Nightclub.
Seven people, including Lubbock, joined Barrymore at his five-bedroom home.
Three witnesses, including Barrymore, claimed Lubbock was found motionless in the swimming pool hours later.
Lubbock’s death is still an unsolved murder investigation.
The Channel 4 documentary, Barrymore: The Body In The Pool, will air the 999 call made after he was found.
Stuart’s brother Kevin Lubbock told the programme that a “wall of silence” surrounded the death.
A post-mortem of Stuart Lubbock found he had suffered severe internal injuries that suggested he was sexually assaulted.
During a five-day inquest in 2002, Essex coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray was told that Lubbock had alcohol in his system, along with a cocktail of drugs including ecstasy, amphetamine and cocaine.
Three of the four pathologists giving evidence were unable to provide an exact cause of death.
Prof Christopher Milroy said it was possible that Lubbock had been held around the neck, but that drowning was the most likely cause of death, the Watford Observer reported at the time.
However, three other pathologists said they could not confirm that he had definitely drowned.
Ms Beasley-Murray recorded an open verdict as a result.
She added that “none” of the witnesses who were at the party “for three hours have given to this court an explanation about how Stuart Lubbock, a previously fit 31-year-old, should be found floating in a swimming pool at the premises, with a significant level of alcohol and drugs in his system, and have serious anal injuries.”
Terry Lubbock, 74, has praised TV presenter Michael Barrymore for boosting his fight to get justice for his son Stuart.
After seeing a preview of the documentary – airing on Thursday – he added: “All I live for is to see Stuart get justice – and I’m determined that I will live to see Stuart get justice.
“Michael Barrymore is a very, very clever man and he wants to be in the limelight and he wants to be back on television.
“And he has helped me enormously. He’s kept this in the news and I thank him for it.
“I have seen this documentary. It’s very good.
“I think it’s going to push the door open a bit more. I think it’s going to help get justice for Stuart. I’d urge everyone to watch it.”
Barrymore, now aged 67, was arrested over the death in 2007 but the case against him was dropped three months later.
He recently poured out his heart on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories and confessed he now lives the life of a recluse, with his Jack Russell, Dave, his only companion.
In a tearful and emotional interview, Barrymore said: “I could not be more sad. I could not be more sorry that this event took place.
“It was at my house and they don’t have all the answers to how he got these injuries.
“Of course it goes through my head and I want things different. I wish I could change it for them.
“I f***ed up. What more do you want? I f***ed up.
“I was responsible for allowing people to come back to my house and to go out to the pool. All of them were . . . there were no children. Stuart was 31. You assume they was capable of looking after themselves.”
Barrymore: The Body In The Pool included previously unseen footage and photographs from the Essex property where the butcher died two decades ago.
Viewers also heard the 999 call made after Stuart drowned in the pool after consuming alcohol and drugs as part of a group of male revellers at Barrymore’s pad.
In the documentary a man is heard telling the emergency services what’s happened.
He says: “There’s a party going on and someone has just gone out there and found him.
“I tell you what mate, first time I’ve been out in four f**king years, I have my kids every weekend.”
