Michael Barrymore must ‘come clean’ over man found dead in his pool, says victim’s father

The father of a man found dead in Michael Barrymore’s swimming pool has urged him to “come clean” because he “must know” what happened.

Terry Lubbock told the entertainer it was “time to either clear your name or put your hands up” over his son’s death at a party in March 2001.

Barrymore, 67, who was arrested in 2007, has said he is “100% innocent” and has never been charged with any offence.

“I think it’s time he comes clean,” Terry Lubbock told a news conference at Essex Police headquarters.

“It’s time now, Michael. I think you know more about this than you have said and the focus will be on you,” said the 74-year-old.

“It’s time now for you to either clear your name or put your hands up to what happened because you must know.”

Mr Lubbock added: “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.

“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.”

Mr Lubbock is also calling for a fresh post-mortem and inquest for his son.

The original post-mortem revealed he had suffered serious anal injuries and an open verdict was recorded at the inquest into his death in 2002.

Mr Lubbock’s comments contrast with those in a documentary, due to air on Thursday, in which he says Barrymore “helped me enormously”.

Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Jennings told reporters that he believes Stuart Lubbock was “raped and murdered that night”, saying the 31-year-old may have been held down.

He said Mr Lubbock’s injuries were too severe to have been consensual or self-inflicted.

On the “balance of probabilities” it was “likely more than one person was involved”, the officer said.

While it is possible some who were at the party in Roydon, Essex do not know what happened, “someone does”, he added.

Three people, including Barrymore, have not been completely eliminated from inquiries, said DCI Jennings.

Police are hoping the passage of time may help to move the investigation on, saying that “loyalties change and it is never too late to do the right thing”.

Essex Police and Crimestoppers are now offering a £20,000 reward for information.

DCI Jennings said the investigation is not only focusing on those present at the time of Stuart Lubbock’s death.

“Some people also arrived at the scene in the hours after,” he said. “They may hold the key information and we would like to hear from them.

“It is also possible that individuals at the party may have told other people what happened that night.”

The officer admitted mistakes were made with the initial investigation after items possibly used in the attack – including a pool thermometer and a door handle – vanished from the scene.

After his arrest in 2007, Barrymore, who had been one of the best known TV stars at the time of the death, withdrew from public life.

Barrymore fled his home and refused to comment during an inquest into Mr Lubbock’s death.

But speaking last year on Piers Morgan’s ITV programme Life Stories, Barrymore said: “I had nothing to do with Stuart. I am innocent. I am not 99.9% innocent. I am 100% innocent and I am entitled to walk around with my head held high for the rest of my life.”

Barrymore: The Body In The Pool will be broadcast on Channel 4 on Thursday.

(c) Sky News 2020: Michael Barrymore must ‘come clean’ over man found dead in his pool, says victim’s father