Stuart and his brother Kevin were at the Millennium nightclub in Harlow, Essex in England. During the evening, Stuart came into contact with Michael Barrymore and was star struck. In 2001, Michael was one of the UK's most famous TV Personalities, hosting popular Saturday night entertainment shows for ITV. Michael had been out with his partner, Jonathan Kenney at an Indian restaurant in nearby town Broxbourne, before going to Millennium, a nightclub only a few miles away from his home in Roydon, Essex. 

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During the night, Stuart got chatting to Michael Barrymore and ended up going back to the stars house for an after party with other people from the nightclub, all unknown to Stuart at the time. The police confirmed the people in attendance were:

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- Michael Barrymore

- Jonathan Kenney, Barrymore's partner

- Justin Merritt, a local dustman who met Barrymore that night

- Kylie Merritt, Justin's sister 

- Kelly Campbell, who met Jonathan at the club

- Claire Jones, who also met Jonathan at the club

- Simon Shaw, a local friend of Barrymore's

- James Feuters, another local friend of Barrymore's

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And Stuart Lubbock. 

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Michael, Stuart, Justin and Kylie got in a local taxi cab and arrive back at 2.30am. Taxi driver Keith Herrett remembered the car being rowdy and that a very drunk Barrymore told him 'I could do with a f*** right now'. Back at the house, witness statements detailed what happened next. It is alleged that Barrymore opened a fridge that contained different bottles of alcohol and also offered Stuart cocaine, which he declined and then Barrymore rubbed some on Stuarts gums and Stuart recoiled. Barrymore has always denied this allegation. At some point in the evening Stuart did take ecstasy. 

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Between 3-4am, Jonathan Kenney arrived home with Claire and Kelly, with James and Simon following shortly after. What happened next has never been clear due to contradicting statements from the party-goers. It is thought at some point Stuart, Justin and Jonathan were in the jacuzzi. Barrymore claimed at that time, he was showing Simon and James his new extension on his house. Some of the witnesses said they saw Stuart mucking around with a baseball cap by the pool. 

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At 5am, neighbours said they heard 'screams'. Barrymore says he walked to the poolside to see Stuart, lifeless at the bottom of the pool, with the pool lights on, so he could see him clearly. He ran to Jonathan instead of jumping in himself to try to save him. Barrymore later claimed this was because he wasn't a good swimmer, something Barrymore's bodyguard and ex-wife disputed. Simon and James jumped into the pool and pulled Stuart out. Jonathan attempted mouth to mouth on Stuart whilst Justin called 999. The time of the 999 call was recorded as 5.46am, potentially at least 45-60 minutes after the body was found. 

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Claire Jones, who was only 17 years old at the time said that she saw Barrymore change his clothes and leave the property with 'material' and he was gone before the paramedics arrived. The paramedics thought initially that they might be dealing with a heart attack, and that jumping into a cold pool might have triggered it. It was later established that the pool's thermometer was missing as well as a door handle that has previously been on the shed by the pool. It is believed that this could have potentially been used to sexually assault Stuart, as the doctors found he had suffered 'severe internal injuries'. 

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Stuart was transferred to the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, only a five minute ambulance ride away. Doctors worked for 2 hours on Stuart before pronouncing him dead at 8.23am. 

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Barrymore later claimed that the internal injuries may have been caused by a nurse working on Stuart to check his body temperature. This did happen but pathologist Dr Jack Crane said that this could not have caused the horrific internal injuries Stuart had inflicted on him and must have been caused 'by another object being forced into him'. Other pathologists have also said that they found marks across Stuart's head that could have been made whilst restraining him during a sexual assault and that asphyxiation may have occurred via strangulation, 

 

The initial pathologist who examined Stuart, Dr Michael Heath, stated he had drowned and that the role of drink and drugs had a part to play in his death. Interestingly, Dr Michael Heath is being investigated by the General Medical Council after making 2 errors during other murder inquests and even included an innocent man being convicted of murder due to his mistakes. 

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The police now believe Stuart was raped and murdered and urge anyone with information to come forward. Stuart's father, Terry Lubbock, fought tirelessly for justice for his son and even met with Michael Barrymore. But sadly Terry died in September 2021, without seeing justice served. 

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This website has been created to help fight for the justice that Stuart's parents didn't get to see. Essex Police have said they will never give up on this case. And neither will we. 

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Somebody Knows Something.