Father of man found dead in Michael Barrymore's pool launches an appeal

Back in 2001, the nation was rocked when it was revealed that a man had been found dead in Michael Barrymore’s swimming pool.

Father-of-two, Stuart Lubbock, was aged just 31 and died after attending a party at Barrymore’s Roydon home.

After a five-day inquest at the time, coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray said that it wasn’t possible to confirm Stuart’s cause of death, claiming that three out of the four pathologists who gave evidence could not say that he had definitely drowned in the pool.

However, Stuart reportedly had a significant level of alcohol and drugs in his system alongside serious injuries, which indicated that he had been sexually assaulted.

Beasley-Murray ended up delivering an open verdict, which meant that there was insufficient evidence to pass a verdict, but now Stuart’s father, Terry Lubbock, is launching a second inquest into his son’s death – hoping to prove that Stuart was murdered.

Terry is being assisted by the same solicitor who he worked with ten years ago, Anthony Bennett, after new evidence came to light.

Mr. Bennett explained: “The original inquest decision was an open verdict. But there was clear medical evidence that Stuart was asphyxiated and did not drown.

“Terry has asked me to help him ask for a second inquest.

“I am sure he has grounds. I am confident that a new inquest would rule that Stuart was the victim of homicide.

“I have written to the Coroner, Mrs Beasley-Murray, and she has agreed to supply Terry with the full transcript of the inquest so that I can prepare the case for a second inquest.”

He went on to add that the new inquest includes a finding by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority in 2007 that said Stuart most likely died as a result of a violent crime.

The Independent Police Complaints Authority also upheld six complaints against Essex Police over investigation failures when Barrymore and two other men were arrested on suspicion of murder.

All three men were released without charge at the time and Barrymore is suing the authorities £2.5million for wrongful arrest and imprisonment.

The TV star has not commented on the second inquest.