'At least two' out of eight guests at Barrymore pool party were responsible for Stuart Lubbock's death, claim police as they reveal crucial evidence - including pool thermometer that could have been used in assault - vanished from scene
- Stuart Lubbock died at Michael Barrymore's £2m mansion in Essex in 2001
- Chief Inspector Stephen Jennings said it was 'likely' multiple people involved
- DCI Jennings said eight people, including Barrymore, remain under suspicion
- Essex Police are now offering a £20,000 reward for new information in the case
At least two people were involved in the rape and murder of a guest at Michael Barrymore's mansion, the police chief leading a new investigation has said.
Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Jennings said that given the severity of Stuart Lubbock's injuries it was 'likely' more than one person had been complicit.
All eight people at the party held at the former TV star's home remain under suspicion – including Barrymore himself, DCI Jennings added.
The new appeal will focus on the possibility that the murder was 'covered up', after a hot tub thermometer and a broken shed handle both went missing from the scene.
Mr Lubbock, who was found floating in the pool, had severe injuries consistent with rape, which officers believe could have been inflicted with either missing object.
Speaking at yesterday's police press conference, Mr Lubbock's father said he was convinced Barrymore knows more about the incident than he has revealed.
Shortly after the appeal was launched, Barrymore broke his silence by 'liking' several Instagram comments describing his critics as 'parasites'.
Michael Barrymore, one of ITV's biggest stars with a string of hit shows, is pictured in 2017. Stuart Lubbock (right) died at his home in 2001
Police believe Mr Lubbock was sexually assaulted and murdered with his body possibly moved from a jacuzzi to make it look like he had accidentally drowned
A photograph taken by police near the pool shows blood on a towel that was later proved to belong to Mr Lubbock
Barrymore also replied to one comment, saying: 'Thank you very much x' to a female fan after she said: 'You're a legend'.
DCI Jennings called on all the eight people present to come forward with any new information, adding that '19 years is a long time' and 'loyalties change'.
He said: 'Nine people went to the party at Michael Barrymore's house, but only one of them – Stuart- ended up being violently sexually assaulted and murdered.
'We know not everyone at the party was responsible for what happened, but someone was.
'We also know that not everyone at that party may know what happened, but someone does.
'We want the people who do have information to come forward and talk to us – 19 years is a long time, loyalties change and it is never too late to do the right thing.
'Some people also arrived at the scene in the hours after Stuart's death. They may also hold key information and we would like to hear from them.'
Police revealed they are offering a £20,000 reward in conjunction with Crimestoppers for information leading to arrests.
DCI Jennings added: 'I can't rule out an individual but on the balance of probabilities from the level of intelligence we've got, it's more likely that more than one person was involved.
'I believe that he was raped and murdered that night. One or more of those party-goers are responsible for that serious sexual assault.'
The body of Mr Lubbock, 31, was found in the pool of Barrymore's £2million home in Roydon, Essex, on March 31, 2001.
Other than Mr Lubbock, the other people present on the night were Barrymore, his ex Jonathan Kenney, Justin Merritt and his sister Kylie, Claire Jones and Kelly Campbell and Simon Shaw and James Futers.
Barrymore, one of ITV's biggest stars with a string of hit shows including Strike It Lucky, fled from the house before police arrived.
A post-mortem examination revealed Mr Lubbock, a divorced father-of-two from Harlow, had suffered major internal injuries consistent with rape.
The cause of death was never established and an open verdict was recorded after conflicting reports from pathologists. Cocaine, ecstasy and alcohol were found in his system.
Barrymore was arrested on suspicion of rape and serious sexual assault in 2007, along with two other people. No charges were brought due to lack of evidence.
Barrymore, now 67, – who has always denied any involvement in the death – launched a high court case for £2.4million damages for wrongful arrest. He received a nominal sum after Essex Police won an appeal.
A police photograph taken in the days after the pool party shows where Mr Lubbock was said to have been pulled out of the water by guests
Another image from Barrymore's house shows glasses stacked up in the kitchen sink
The Channel 4 Documentary has exclusive photographs from inside Barrymore's house
Mr Lubbock's father Terry, 74, called for the TV presenter to 'clear your name' or 'put your hands up'.
He said: 'I think it's time he comes clean,' he said. 'It's time now Michael. I think you know more about this than you have said and the focus will be on you.
'You must know, I’m absolutely sure, I know you are involved in this.
There were reports about him not being there at that particularly time and he has insisted that he doesn’t know. I’m absolutely sure he knows 100 per cent.
'It's time now for you to either clear your name or put your hands up to what happened because you must know.
'I think the people who were there in Michael Barrymore's home on that day, on that night, are thinking it hasn't gone away, it won't go away.
'Even the people who aren't directly involved in this must be starting to feel very, very uneasy and it's time now for them.
Terry Lubbock, the father of Stuart Lubbock who was found dead in Michael Barrymrore's swimming pool, speaking at Essex Police HQ in Chelmsford, ahead of a new Channel 4 documentary about the death of his son
DCI Stephen Jennings from Essex Police speaks at the force's headquarters in Chelmsford yesterday, ahead of the new Channel 4 documentary about the death of Stuart Lubbock
'The penny's dropped now, it's time for people to come forward whether they are directly involved or indirectly involved. Any bit of information they have got, they must come forward with that.'
He called for a fresh post-mortem and inquest for his son, while Mr Jennings said Stuart's injuries were too severe to have been consensual or self-inflicted, and suggested he may have been held down.
The comments come ahead of a new programme which charts the police's investigation into the death, as well as the attempts by entertainer Barrymore to restore his public image following the incident.
The documentary tells the story of the death through interviews with journalists, forensics experts and people who knew Stuart.
At the beginning of the 90-minute programme, the 999 call reporting the incident to police is played.
Michael Barrymore in December last year after he was forced to pull out of ITV's Dancing on Ice following a wrist injury
Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Jennings (pictured) said that given the severity of Stuart Lubbock's injuries it was 'likely' more than one person had been complicit
The caller said: 'A fella has drowned in the pool. We have got him out.
'There's a party going on and someone has just gone out and found him. I think the geezer's dead mate.'
Last year Barrymore spoke about the death, telling Piers Morgan's ITV show Life Stories that he 'couldn't be more sorry' for his behaviour that night, and that he is '100% innocent'.
He was arrested in 2007 but never charged with any offence.
He sued Essex Police and claimed it was a wrongful arrest that had cost him about £2.5 million in lost earnings, but Court of Appeal judges concluded he would be entitled to only 'nominal' damages.
Barrymore: The Body In The Pool will be broadcast on Channel 4 on Thursday.
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