Stuart Lubbock was brutally raped and murdered at the home of the deservedly since disgraced ‘entertainer’ Michael Barrymore on 31st March 2001.
Now, though over 20 years have passed and Mr Lubbock’s father, Terry, sadly himself died without having seen justice done in September this year, his late son’s ex-wife Sue Homan is courageously continuing to campaign for justice.
In the wake of the arrest and subsequent release without charge of a 50-year-old from Cheshire in August on the suspicion of murder and indecent assault due to there being “insufficient evidence to reach the level where there is a realistic chance of a successful prosecution,” in November, Ms Homan gave an interview to Shaun Attwood’s True Crime Channel about her take on this tragic story.
Two stories to keep beside you
Justice for Stuart Lubbock 2021
As it is revealed that the father of Stuart Lubbock, murdered in Michael Barrymore’s swimming pool in 2001, has terminal cancer, it is time that the disgraced entertainer finally told the truth.
Stuart Lubbock Anniversary
After Matthew Steeples returns to ‘Shaun Attwood’s True Crime Channel’ to discuss 2001 murder of Stuart Lubbock, pathologist who caused “vital weeks to be lost in investigation” is put under interim conditions just before 20th anniversary of the killing.
Co-hosted by Matthew Steeples of The Steeple Times, the 41:19-minute feature was uploaded to YouTube late last week and has already been viewed over 13,100 times. In it, Sue Homan shares a heartbreaking story of loss, grief and injustice and yet again reminds viewers that justice still needs to be done. Her dedication to the campaign is clearly illustrated and yet again shown here is an example of the worst kind of a miscarriage of injustice.
Following up, again today, we remind readers of the words of Essex Police:
“Nine people went to the party at Michael Barrymore’s house, but only one of them – Stuart – ended up being violently sexually assaulted and murdered.”
“We know not everyone at that party was responsible for what happened, but someone was. We also know that not everyone at that party may know what happened, but someone does.”
“We want the people who do have information to come forward and talk to us – it is never too late to do the right thing and give the Lubbock family the answers and justice they have waited so long to have.”
#Justice4Stuart
Pictured top (left to right) – Disgraced TV ‘personality’ Michael Barrymore, rape-murder victim Stuart Lubbock and tireless campaigner for justice for her ex-husband, Sue Homan.
Justice for Stuart Lubbock – The people who need to man-up and tell the truth about what happened at Michael Barrymore’s home on 31st March 2001
Michael Parker (AKA Michael Barrymore) – Allegedly loudly said: “I need a f**k” in a taxi as he left the Millennium Nightclub to return to his home, the scene of the death of Stuart Lubbock. Barrymore later lied to a coroner’s court about facilitating drug taking at his house on the night in question also.
Barrymore claimed to have been first to have discovered the body of Stuart Lubbock at 5.45am, called his manager Mike Brown before the ambulance arrived and then left the premises. He admits that was “wrong” and also bizarrely told Piers Morgan that in spite of “knowing others were hiding secrets about what happened to Mr. Lubbock” that “I am not going to say their names. I just hope they are brave enough to come forward one day.”
Mike Brown – Agent of Michael Barrymore. Called to the property before emergency services arrived.
Kelly Campbell – Had met Michael Barrymore for the first time on the night of the incident. Claimed not to have been aware of what happened.
James Futters (sometimes spelt ‘Futers’) – A paper boy turned chef. Described as “a local from the village” and a “friend and neighbour of Barrymore.” Claimed to have been the first to discover the body with Simon Shaw and stated: “[It was not] Michael Barrymore and not Jonathan Kenney [who found him].” Later, of him the Evening Standard reported: “Barrymore offered James Futters a white powder on his finger saying: ‘Do you want to try this?’ Mr Futters told the inquest that he leaned forward and licked the powder.”
Claire Jones – Then aged 17. Had met Michael Barrymore for the first time on the night of the incident. Claimed not to have been aware of what happened but told the police that she “saw Barrymore rummaging through drawers and changing his clothes before police arrived. When he left the house, he had a ‘bundle of material’ under his arm,” according to the Evening Standard. “She added: ‘Jonathan (Kenney) was rushing through the bungalow before the ambulance and police arrived. I got the impression he was hiding something.’”
Jonathan Kenney – Estate agent, drag queen and Michael Barrymore’s then lover; later arrested on suspicion of murder but never charged; known for having a “record of violence.” Claimed to have been the first to have discovered the body and is now aged 50.
Justin Merritt – A dustman from Essex. Later arrested on suspicion of murder but never charged. Later paid £30,000 by the News of the World for an interview in which he stated Barrymore had “rubbed cocaine on Stuart Lubbock’s lips shortly before he died.”
Kylie Merritt – Sister of Justin Merritt. She also alleged Barrymore “rubbed cocaine on Stuart Lubbock’s lips shortly before he died” (curiously in the wake of her brother selling his account of the night).
Simon Shaw – Described as “a local from the village.” Michael Barrymore supposedly “ran off” to Mr. Shaw’s house to “buy himself thinking time [for two hours] before he was questioned by the police [at 7.49am].”
In addition, others, who’ve never been identified could also have possibly been present. If they were, they should come forward or be named by those listed above.
Readers have their say
5 comments
Thank you Matthew for keeping this whole sordid affair in the news.
Let’s hope some justice is served in the near future.
please could you email me at [email protected]. i may have some information for you
You are welcome to send to [email protected] and we will send on to Sue Homan for her consideration.
Thanks for this Matthew. I can’t stress how important it is to re-state that the deceased Stuart Lubbock was NOT found IN the pool by the police. Stuart was found lying face up on the stone terrace around the pool on the side opposite the jacuzzi and house rooms. A few of the suspects claim to have seen him in the pool or even to have rescued him from the pool, but as he was already dead it’s hardly a rescue is it? The jacuzzi & terrace nearby must have been seriously blood-stained as Stuart was haemorrhaging from the anus even hours later. The blood must have been cleaned up in the ca 45 mins before the police arrives about 5.46 am. The blood is another reason why he would not have been thrown in the pool as it would leave a mess you couldn’t clean up quickly enough before the police arrived. They did have time to exchange the water in the small jacuzzi though and wash the terrace down. Pity they didn”t measure the temperature of the jacuzzi – I bet it wasn’t anywhere near use Temperature. Would you swim in a pool at best 23 C on a cold night in March at 4 am? Imagine how cold the air would feel – I doubt it seriously. Besides it’s harder for the predator(s) to touch Stuart up in the pool, you’d have to catch him first, wheareas in that small jacuzzi it’s easy – he was cornered. So many opportunities missed by the police it makles you want to cry, scream even.
Correction: I meant temperature of the pool (not Jacuzzi). Need your intelligent input: the Algor Mortis data doesn’t fit the timeframe for Stuart’s death around ca. 5 am. Stuart’s core body T in hospital 6.23 am was 29.3 C – that’s a loss of 8 C in about an hour: a totally abnormal rate 4-5x outside the normal range of 083-1.66 C/hr after a short lag of say 15 minutes. It really doesn’t add up to a death around 5 am, even taking in thto account the cold 5 C outside air & cold, wet patio conditions. Please help and apply you agile mind. Thanks.