In the early hours of 31st March 2001, emergency services were called to a mansion house in Roydon, Essex. The home belonged to TV presenter Michael Barrymore, who was 49 years old at the time.
They were rushed to the garden, where they found 31-year-old Stuart Lubbock unresponsive in the swimming pool. A post-mortem later confirmed he drowned, but the discovery of severe internal injuries raised serious questions about the events leading up to his death.
More than two decades later, nobody has been convicted of Stuart’s death. Keep reading as the Crime+Investigation team examines the case in more detail.
A body in the pool
At around 5am on 31st March 2001, police were called to Barrymore’s million-pound home in Roydon, Essex. There was a body in the pool: Stuart Lubbock, a previously fit and healthy butcher from Harlow, was found unresponsive after partying with Barrymore and eight other men.
Despite resuscitation attempts, he was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
When questioned, partygoers said they had met Lubbock at a nightclub before returning to Barrymore’s home for an afterparty. However, what happened next was a blur. Barrymore admitted having seen Lubbock ‘larking about’ around the Jacuzzi and pool earlier that night, but went to bed before the incident occurred.
Other witnesses said that Lubbock had been alive in the hours before he was found in the pool, but nobody saw him actually enter the water.
Post-mortem findings
Despite the muddled statements, the post-mortem findings were undeniable. A toxicology report confirmed that Stuart had 223mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood in his system when he died, nearly three times the legal drink-drive limit.
Amphetamines and the by-products of cocaine use were also found, suggesting that drugs and alcohol were present at the party.
While the post-mortem confirmed the cause of death was drowning, it also revealed severe internal injuries. Pathologists said the injuries were consistent with the insertion of a foreign object and couldn’t have been caused by attempts to resuscitate him. The court heard that the extent of the trauma was unlikely to have been caused by consensual sexual activity.
The criminal investigation
In light of the post-mortem findings, Essex Police revisited Stuart’s death. What had initially appeared to be an accidental drowning was now a murder inquiry.
Investigators questioned the nine other men at the party, including Barrymore. However, they continued to insist they hadn’t seen Stuart drown, and none of them seemed to know where his injuries came from. In the words of Coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray, who led the inquest:
‘None of these witnesses who were party guests for three hours have given to this court an explanation about how Stuart Lubbock, a previously fit 31-year-old, should be found floating in a swimming pool at the premises with a significant level of alcohol and drugs in his system and have serious anal injuries.‘
In addition to the wall of silence, there were serious failings in the case. In the early stages of the investigation, the police didn’t properly secure the scene or preserve potential evidence. In 2015, Essex Police publicly acknowledged that opportunities had been missed in the initial inquiry.
Since Stuart’s death, several men, including Barrymore, have been arrested on suspicion of murder and serious sexual assault but were later released without charge. There simply wasn’t enough evidence definitively linking any one person to the death.
Nearly 20 years on
Nearly two decades later, no one has been convicted in connection with Stuart’s death, something which haunts the Lubbock family.
Stuart’s father, Terry Lubbock, campaigned tirelessly for justice until his death in 2021. Other relatives continue to press for answers, maintaining that someone present that night knows what happened.
Before his death, Terry told reporters:
‘I’ve been told that my cancer is terminal and that I only have months to live. All I’ve been living for is to get justice for Stuart. I may never get the answers I want now. My only hope is that I can live long enough to see something happening about a new inquest. I’ll rest in peace if I know there’s going to be another inquest.‘
As of early 2026, there has been no news about a new inquest into Stuart’s death.
Though the case remains unresolved, certain details are clear. Stuart arrived at Barrymore’s home a fit and healthy 31-year-old man. By morning, he was dead. A post-mortem confirmed he had drowned but also revealed severe internal injuries.
How those injuries were inflicted and by whom remains unanswered.
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