Leading detective gives clear conclusion on Michael Barrymore pool death
Comedian and TV presenter Michael Barrymore has spent more than a decade dogged by a death in his Essex home.
Father-of-two Stuart Lubbock was found dead in Barrymore’s pool in 2001.
A murder case was opened in 2007, after police declared a brand new investigation in 2006.
Now a leading detective has declared that the death was “highly unlikely” to have been murder, but instead a tragic accident.
Former murder detective Peter Kirkham investigated hundreds of pages of evidence for The Mirror, before giving his personal conclusion.
He concluded that “window of opportunity” for an attack to be carried out and covered up was so brief it made it made the possibility of murder almost impossible.
The retired detective told The Mirror: “I think this is extremely unlikely.”
He added: “There was no motive for murder.”
Lubbock was found dead in a pool in Harlow, Essex, after an all-night party which started at a local club.
His bloodstream contained ecstasy, cocaine and alcohol at the time of death, and he had anal injuries.
However detective Kirkham says he believes that the injuries were not consistent with sexual assault.
The news comes days before the outcome of Barrymore’s claim against police for unlawful arrest.
He could receive a multi-million-pound payout if he wins a lawsuit against Essex Police.
The entertainer, who is suing for £2.5m, “should get substantial damages”, his lawyer has told the High Court earlier this year.
Police have already admitted the arrest was unlawful as the officer had not been fully briefed.
However they claim Mr Barrymore could have been lawfully detained by another officer instead.
Mr Barrymore was arrested six years later, after he relaunched his career with an appearance on Celebrity Big Brother, when he came second.
After the arrest, along with two others, he was released without charge.
Hugh Tomlinson QC, representing Mr Barrymore, says his client had “made it clear he did not kill or assault Mr Lubbock”.
Mr Tomlindon said: “Although he was arrested, he was never charged with any offence and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) subsequently made it crystal clear there was no basis for any charges.
“Our case is that when speculation, rumour and conjecture are put to one side, it is clear there is no evidence against the claimant in relation to any offence concerning Mr Lubbock.”
He added: “This arrest was made without any proper evidential foundation.
“However, the fact that it had happened, and the worldwide publicity it received, destroyed the claimant’s career.”
Barrymore was last seen on TV in 2014 in a celebrity special of The Jeremy Kyle Show, where he opened up about struggling with drugs and his mental health.
