In the early hours of thirty first March 2001, emergency companies had been known as to a mansion home in Roydon, Essex. The house belonged to TV presenter Michael Barrymore, who was 49 years previous on the time.
They had been rushed to the backyard, the place they discovered 31-year-old Stuart Lubbock unresponsive in the swimming pool. A autopsy later confirmed he drowned, however the discovery of extreme inside accidents raised critical questions in regards to the occasions main as much as his death.
More than 20 years later, no one has been convicted of Stuart’s death. Keep studying because the Crime+Investigation workforce examines the case in extra element.
A physique in the pool
At round 5am on thirty first March 2001, police had been known as to Barrymore’s million-pound house in Roydon, Essex. There was a physique in the pool: Stuart Lubbock, a beforehand match and wholesome butcher from Harlow, was discovered unresponsive after partying with Barrymore and eight different males.
Despite resuscitation makes an attempt, he was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
When questioned, partygoers mentioned that they had met Lubbock at a nightclub earlier than returning to Barrymore’s house for an afterparty. However, what occurred subsequent was a blur. Barrymore admitted having seen Lubbock ‘larking about’ across the Jacuzzi and pool earlier that night time, however went to mattress earlier than the incident occurred.
Other witnesses mentioned that Lubbock had been alive in the hours earlier than he was discovered in the pool, however no one noticed him really enter the water.
Post-mortem findings
Despite the muddled statements, the autopsy findings had been plain. A toxicology report confirmed that Stuart had 223mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood in his system when he died, practically 3 times the authorized drink-drive restrict.
Amphetamines and the by-products of cocaine use had been additionally discovered, suggesting that medication and alcohol had been current on the occasion.
While the autopsy confirmed the trigger of death was drowning, it additionally revealed extreme inside accidents. Pathologists mentioned the accidents had been in step with the insertion of a international object and couldn’t have been attributable to makes an attempt to resuscitate him. The court docket heard that the extent of the trauma was unlikely to have been attributable to consensual sexual exercise.
The prison investigation
In gentle of the autopsy findings, Essex Police revisited Stuart’s death. What had initially seemed to be an unintended drowning was now a homicide inquiry.
Investigators questioned the 9 different males on the occasion, together with Barrymore. However, they continued to insist they hadn’t seen Stuart drown, and none of them appeared to know the place his accidents got here from. In the phrases of Coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray, who led the inquest:
‘None of these witnesses who had been occasion friends for 3 hours have given to this court docket a proof about how Stuart Lubbock, a beforehand match 31-year-old, needs to be discovered floating in a swimming pool on the premises with a major stage of alcohol and medicines in his system and have critical anal accidents.‘
In addition to the wall of silence, there have been critical failings in the case. In the early levels of the investigation, the police did not correctly safe the scene or protect potential proof. In 2015, Essex Police publicly acknowledged that alternatives had been missed in the preliminary inquiry.
Since Stuart’s death, a number of males, together with Barrymore, have been arrested on suspicion of homicide and critical sexual assault however had been later launched with out cost. There merely wasn’t sufficient proof definitively linking anyone individual to the death.
Nearly 20 years on
Nearly 20 years later, nobody has been convicted in reference to Stuart’s death, one thing which haunts the Lubbock household.
Stuart’s father, Terry Lubbock, campaigned tirelessly for justice till his death in 2021. Other kin proceed to press for solutions, sustaining that somebody current that night time is aware of what occurred.
Before his death, Terry instructed reporters:
‘I’ve been instructed that my most cancers is terminal and that I solely have months to dwell. All I’ve been residing for is to get justice for Stuart. I could by no means get the solutions I would like now. My solely hope is that I can dwell lengthy sufficient to see one thing occurring a few new inquest. I’ll relaxation in peace if I do know there’s going to be one other inquest.‘
As of early 2026, there was no information a few new inquest into Stuart’s death.
Though the case stays unresolved, sure particulars are clear. Stuart arrived at Barrymore’s house a match and wholesome 31-year-old man. By morning, he was dead. A autopsy confirmed he had drowned but in addition revealed extreme inside accidents.
How these accidents had been inflicted and by whom stays unanswered.
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