The brother of a man found dead in television star Michael Barrymore's swimming pool has issued a fresh plea to police, demanding new forensic tests to finally solve the decades-old mystery. Stuart Lubbock, aged 31, died during a chaotic party at the former entertainer's Essex home on March 31, 2001, suffering horrific internal injuries consistent with a serious sexual assault.
A Brother's Quest for Answers
On the eve of the 25th anniversary of Stuart's death, his brother Kevin Lubbock, 55, has publicly called for Essex Police to re-examine all key evidence using modern scientific methods. "I hope that new DNA methods will provide the truth of how Stuart got those injuries," Kevin told the Daily Mirror. "The science has come a long way in 25 years so all of the key evidence should be retested."
The Fateful Night
The incident unfolded after Barrymore, then one of Britain's highest-paid television personalities, invited several locals from a Harlow nightclub to his Roydon home. Stuart Lubbock, a father-of-two who had never met Barrymore before, was among the guests. The evening involved consumption of alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine.
At approximately 5:48 am, emergency services received a call reporting a man found unconscious in the swimming pool. Stuart was pronounced dead shortly afterward. A subsequent postmortem revealed he had suffered severe anal injuries and had cocaine and ecstasy in his system.
Controversial Investigation
Initial police response has been widely criticised. Officers did not immediately treat the property as a crime scene, initially accepting the explanation that Stuart had drowned after heavy drinking and drug use. Barrymore's agent was permitted access to the house on the day of the death.
Only after the postmortem findings emerged was a murder investigation launched. The police watchdog later identified significant errors, including the failure to seize potentially crucial evidence such as a swimming pool thermometer and a door handle, both of which vanished.
Forensic Opportunities
During the original investigation, 98 items were submitted for forensic testing, including Stuart's boxer shorts, a bloody towel and bathrobe recovered poolside, along with various hairs, fibres, swabs, clothing, and household items. However, the Independent Police Complaints Commission upheld a complaint from Stuart's father Terry in 2007 regarding the failure to test blood on key items.
Essex Police has declined to specify when the last forensic review occurred or confirm whether all 98 original items remain in their possession.
Conflicting Accounts and Open Verdict
Witness accounts from that night present conflicting timelines. Jonathan Kenney, Barrymore's then-boyfriend, stated he and another guest, Justin Merritt, were in Barrymore's bedroom around 3:30 am. Kenney recalled Barrymore entering around 3:50 am, changing into shorts, and announcing he was going to the hot tub, only to return minutes later claiming to have found Stuart's body floating.
Barrymore's own statement placed this discovery between 4:30 am and 4:45 am. The ambulance was not called until 5:46 am by Merritt. Stuart's body temperature upon arrival at hospital was a chilling 29.3°C, approximately 7.7°C below normal, suggesting he had been in the cool pool water for a considerable time before the emergency call.
Arrests and Inconclusive Findings
Barrymore, Kenney, and Merritt were arrested in 2007 on suspicion of murder and rape. All were released without charge and have consistently denied any involvement. An inquest in 2002 recorded an open verdict after four pathologists failed to agree on a definitive cause of death. Dr. Michael Heath's initial postmortem cited drowning following severe anal injuries, while others noted facial marks indicating possible asphyxiation and injuries "indicative of a serious sexual assault."
In 2021, an unnamed man in his 50s was also arrested on suspicion of murder but was similarly released without charge.
A Family's Unending Grief
Stuart's father, Terry Lubbock, campaigned relentlessly for justice until his death in 2021 at age 76, just weeks after the most recent arrest. "I know somebody at that party inflicted those injuries on my Stuart," he told the Mirror shortly before his passing.
In response to Kevin Lubbock's appeal, an Essex Police spokesperson stated: "We have never given up on finding out exactly what happened to Stuart, and we will continue to act on any new information to assist us in our pursuit of justice for him and for his family and friends. Full reviews are conducted periodically as per force policy."
The case remains one of Britain's most enduring celebrity-linked mysteries, with the Lubbock family continuing their fight for answers a quarter-century after the tragic event.
