Barrymore police 'issue apology'

Police have apologised to the father of the man found dead in entertainer Michael Barrymore's swimming pool in 2001, the BBC understands.

Terry Lubbock, Stuart Lubbock's father, said that Essex Police had told him "mistakes were made" by the force.

A report by the Independent Police Complaints Commission is believed to have identified failings in the initial inquiry into the death of Mr Lubbock.

No-one has ever been charged in connection with the case.

'Hollow apology'

Stuart Lubbock, 31, was found dead at Mr Barrymore's ex-property in Roydon, Essex.

Post-mortem tests showed Stuart Lubbock, 31, had suffered severe internal injuries which indicated sexual assault. His bloodstream contained ecstasy, cocaine and alcohol.

In 2002, a coroner recorded an open verdict into his death.

Mr Barrymore and two other men were arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and murder in 2007 but were subsequently released without charge.

Terry Lubbock, 64, said officers had visited his home in Harlow to personally apologise.

"I'm happy in a way," he said. "But it's a hollow apology because the perpetrators of my son's murder are still out there.

"If the police had done their job properly in the first place I believe people would be in the dock charged with his murder.

"To that end it's a hollow apology but I will accept it for what it's worth."

Mr Lubbock said the officers were not able to reveal the reasons for their apology ahead of the IPCC report's publication.

"They haven't told me why they are apologising," he said. "They are hiding behind a shield and that shield is the fact that the IPCC report hasn't come out yet.

"I didn't expect them to go into detail but I did get an apology."

In March 2007, the IPCC began its investigation after receiving complaints from Terry Lubbock.

He claimed the police inquiry had failed to ascertain how his son died and accused officers of incompetence.

After Mr Barrymore was released without charge in 2007, his lawyer, Henri Brandman, said the entertainer had "always protested his innocence".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/essex/7906987.stm

I saw this on sky news this morning. They said friends of Barrymore were allowed to walk around the crime scene freely. Police took photographs but later "vital evidence" which was in the photographs disappeared. People like Terry Lubbocks father should not have to spend years fighting for justice.

justagrannynow wrote:I saw this on sky news this morning. They said friends of Barrymore were allowed to walk around the crime scene freely. Police took photographs but later "vital evidence" which was in the photographs disappeared. People like Terry Lubbocks father should not have to spend years fighting for justice.

I think this case is a total joke. Barrymore ran from the crime scene with friends. That in itself should have sounded alarm bells.

Barrymore always acted cagey about this man's death....It is about time the police found out what happened - no one should wait all these years for closure on the death of a loved one.

Lubbock Death: Picture Of Missing Evidence
Breaking News2:25pm UK, Tuesday February 24, 2009
Alex Watts, Sky News Online

Sky News has obtained a picture of what has been described as a vital missing piece of evidence in the Stuart Lubbock pool death case.



Vital evidence: thermometer is missing



A thermometer which may have been used to assault Mr Lubbock at Michael Barrymore's home was never seized or forensically tested.

Numerous other failures were made as police investigated the death of the 31-year-old, who was found face down in a swimming pool, a report has found.

A post-mortem showed Mr Lubbock had suffered anal injuries and had taken ecstasy, cocaine and alcohol before he died.

His father Terry Lubbock received the Independent Police Complaints Commission report into the police probe of his son's death ahead of its official publication.

The IPCC report said two pieces of key evidence that were noted at the initial investigation of the scene - a door handle and a pool thermometer - were not recovered by police.



Terry Lubbock with the report

It read: "The evidential importance of the thermometer and/or door handle is a matter for speculation. However, the failure of police to recover these items prevented the senior investigating officer from establishing whether or not the implements were used to cause the injuries to Stuart Lubbock."

Other findings from the IPCC report include the following:

:: No forensic tests were carried out on a baseball cap found in the pool and police did not establish who owned it.

:: Blood found on boxer shorts was not promptly investigated.

:: Blood found on towels and a robe was not promptly investigated.

:: Police used the services of pathologist Dr Michael Heath to carry out the forensic post-mortem, knowing there were doubts over his competence.

:: It was left to the coroner to ask for a second opinion after Dr Heath compiled the post-mortem report, after police failed to do so.

:: The police decision to close the investigation into the death of Stuart Lubbock was premature.


Mr Lubbock told Sky News he believed the pool thermometer mentioned in the report was used to sexually assault his son.

Officers took photos of the scene showing the 12in plastic thermometer beside the jacuzzi at the TV star's former mansion.

IPCC deputy senior investigator Adrian Tapp spotted the item when he enlarged one of the pictures.

But the object itself was not found in evidence taken from the scene.

Mr Lubbock, 64, believes someone removed the thermometer after the photo was taken.

"This vital piece of evidence has gone missing and police still don't know where it is," he said.


Stuart Lubbock and Barrymore

"We believe this was used to inflict the horrific internal anal injuries to my son. It's happened because police didn't seal off the place and from my point of view if they had done their job properly people would have ended up in court and there would have probably been convictions for his killer or killers. It's quite an earth-shattering breakthrough. We've only just been told about the pool thermometer and Essex Police themselves failed to notice it had gone missing. Someone either knows where that is or where they put it and it could be the thing we are looking for that allows me to get justice for my son after almost eight years."

Sky News crime correspondent Martin Brunt said the other piece of evidence mentioned in the report - a door knob - was missing also from the scene.

It was not pictured in police photographs but was noted in a scene log made by an inspector at the incident.


The police have told me they are continuing to fight for justice for me. I am very confident that they will indeed do that.

The IPCC report, which runs to 142 pages, has now been made available.

It upheld six of 36 complaints made by Mr Lubbock over the initial investigation into his son's death.

Earlier Mr Lubbock senior, 64, said senior police officers had visited his Harlow home last night to personally apologise ahead of the publication of today's report.

"I'm happy in a way," he said. "But it's a hollow apology because the perpetrators of my son's murder are still out there."

Fair play to that man.

He will die in the attempt to get justice for his son.

And just when Barrymore thought it was safe to come on out of his cave a report is issued.



May justice be served for Stewart just as it should be for Madeleine.

Standing Tall wrote:And just when Barrymore thought it was safe to come on out of his cave a report is issued.



May justice be served for Stewart just as it should be for Madeleine.

Better late than never and people should remember that no matter how much protection or money people have....they are not above the law.....

All it takes is one piece of new evidence to surface to get the criminals!!!

But just look at all these F*** ups!!

:: No forensic tests were carried out on a baseball cap found in the pool and police did not establish who owned it.

:: Blood found on boxer shorts was not promptly investigated.

:: Blood found on towels and a robe was not promptly investigated.

:: Police used the services of pathologist Dr Michael Heath to carry out the forensic post-mortem, knowing there were doubts over his competence.

:: It was left to the coroner to ask for a second opinion after Dr Heath compiled the post-mortem report, after police failed to do so.


What were the police playing at?? And why are these policemen/women getting away with it?

eddie wrote:But just look at all these F*** ups!!

:: No forensic tests were carried out on a baseball cap found in the pool and police did not establish who owned it.

:: Blood found on boxer shorts was not promptly investigated.

:: Blood found on towels and a robe was not promptly investigated.

:: Police used the services of pathologist Dr Michael Heath to carry out the forensic post-mortem, knowing there were doubts over his competence.

:: It was left to the coroner to ask for a second opinion after Dr Heath compiled the post-mortem report, after police failed to do so.


What were the police playing at?? And why are these policemen/women getting away with it?

That above is all in Tony book.....

The worse thing to me was....when Barrymore was claiming that the small thermometre used on Stuart in the pathology lab was what caused his horrific anal injuries....

And they didnt investigate further and now we see this pool thermometre right by the pool????

Where did this photo come from now? Dont tell me the police had it all along?

Anyways I believe Tony is correct in his book....he believes Stuart was never in the pool and a bucket of water thrown on him to wet him as the ambulence men found him already dead by the side of the pool and there was no water was in his lungs so he didnt drown....

The police didnt test the water either...

they are discussing this on sky and I just linked this thread

http://blogs.news.sky.com/discussions/show.html?plckForumPage=ForumDiscussion&plckDiscussionId=Cat%3a746f9309-1bb1-4b07-ad11-647f5ba16800Forum%3a4237bf3e-0948-444d-a452-46289a2fd1f7Discussion%3a11b3e176-830d-42a3-9d24-94468631d11b&plckCurrentPage=0&plckCategoryCurrentPage=0

Mmmm well that seems to be how it goes these days NBY. Surely there is some sort of evidence kept from that time. Forensics have come on a long way since it happened. I never understood how there was no prosecution for whoever did it at the time to be honest. DNA must have been on the body, or in it. Surely the swimming pool could not have washed it all away?

There is doubt that the victim was even in the swimming pool. Tony Bennett (yes, the one who's involved with the McCann case) has written a book about it.

THIS WILL BE INTERESTING.
ISN'T THERE A STATUE OF LIMITATION ON SUEING.

Not Born Yesterday wrote:There is doubt that the victim was even in the swimming pool. Tony Bennett (yes, the one who's involved with the McCann case) has written a book about it.

I remember that NBY I read some parts of it on the internet.

Badboy wrote:THIS WILL BE INTERESTING.
ISN'T THERE A STATUE OF LIMITATION ON SUEING.

We will have to look it up Badboy but I doubt it, if he is doing it. As no one has been convicted for this crime it may be a dangerous game

From what I remember in the book, there were conflicting statements about who found the victim in the pool and who pulled him out.

In my view that could be because everyone was so off their head on drink and drugs that they didn't know what day it was.

Someone must have assaulted that poor guy though and, while there's no evidence that it was MB himself, he certainly hasn't helped himself with the way he has behaved.

Barrymore met him in a pub and took him back to his place, the poor man was just star struck.


Drugs in his system...they could off been forced down him or his drinks spiked or..now this is my opinion...they were given to him to make him more compliant with the intent to rape him.


Why kill him....well you don't want your career in tatters now do you...my opinion off course .



Why run from the scene like O J Simpson.


He disgusts me anyway.always has...lying to his wife all those years.