Michael Barrymore begins court fight for compensation

Comedian and TV presenter Michael Barrymore begins his High Court fight against Essex Police today seeking a possible £2.5m in compensation.

Barrymore, 65, is suing Essex Police after he was arrested and questioned in connection with the discovery of a butcher’s body in a swimming pool at his home.

Stuart Lubbock, 31, of Harlow, Essex, was found dead after a party at the Strike It Lucky star’s house in nearby Roydon in March 2001.

Barrymore was arrested and held for questioning on suspicion of sexual assault and murder in 2007 along with two other men, but none were charged.

Essex Police has accepted liability but only on a technicality, namely that they sent the wrong arresting officer to Mr Barrymore’s home and he was therefore not making the arrest on a firm suspicion of guilt.

However, the force argues it had a strong case and only wants to offer the star "nominal damages", described in court as potentially as low as "one pound".

In preliminary hearings, Barrymore’s lawyers argued that the arrest came at a time when his TV career was rejuvenating.

They will say in court that he suffered "devastating" damage to his reputation and possible future earnings.

It has been reported that Barrymore is seeking £2.5m damages.

Michael Barrymore’s story at a glance:

:: 1986: Gameshow Strike it Lucky makes Barrymore a household name. He went on to front My Kind Of People, Kids Say The Funniest Things and other shows.

:: March 2001: Father-of-two Stuart Lubbock dies in suspicious circumstances at a party at Barrymore’s house.

:: June 2001: Essex Police arrest Barrymore’s partner and another man on suspicion of murder. No charges are brought forward.

:: October 2001: Barrymore is given a caution for drugs offences related to cannabis use at the party.

:: September 2002: Inquest into Stuart Lubbock’s death. Pathologists give conflicting causes of death but all say Mr Lubbock was seriously sexual assaulted. The inquest records an inclusive, open verdict.

:: January 2006: Barrymore appears on Big Brother. It’s his first appearance on UK TV in years.

:: June 2007: Barrymore is arrested simultaneously with the same two previous suspects on suspicion of serious sexual assault and murder. The case is dropped three months later. No one is charged.

:: February 2009: An Independent Police Complaints Commission report finds multiple failings in their original investigation.

:: October 2016: It is revealed that Barrymore is taking the force to court for wrongful arrest and detainment.

(c) Sky News 2017: Michael Barrymore begins court fight for compensation