Police are chasing new leads into the death of Stuart Lubbock at TV star Michael Barrymore’s home following the Sunday People’s exclusive story.
We revealed last week that Essex Police had relaunched their probe into the dad-of-two’s death 19 years ago.
Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Jennings said he believed that Stuart, 31, whose body was found in the swimming pool at Barrymore’s Essex mansion, was raped and murdered.
Our explosive story was followed by a 90-minute Channel 4 documentary Barrymore: Body In The Pool.
Yesterday a police spokesperson said: “Following our renewed appeal for information about the rape and murder of Stuart Lubbock we have received a number of calls with information.
“We will follow up all lines of inquiry.”
In a fresh development, Stuart’s dad Terry, 74, has asked the Attorney General to order a second inquest.
Stuart died at Barrymore’s luxury home in Roydon, Essex, in 2001 and the post-mortem examination showed he had severe internal injuries.
An inquest the following year recorded an open verdict.
Terry’s application suggests that the recent hardening stance by Essex Police is a major change and constitutes new evidence – meaning that a fresh probe should be brought.
The ailing dad, who lives in a care home in Harlow just a few miles from where his son died, said: “This is a significant change and I welcome the new position.
"I just hope this is enough to get a new inquest as we need to get a verdict that he was unlawfully killed and then I want to see charges.”
Terry’s application asks the Attorney General to give weight to new admissions by DCI Jennings about police failings in the original investigation.
A swimming pool thermometer and a door handle that officers now believe could have been used in an assault on Stuart were allowed to be removed from the scene after police photographed them.
After Thursday night’s Channel Four programme, Barrymore, 67, broke his silence to issue a fresh denial over any involvement in Stuart’s death.
The former Strike It Lucky game show host, who was arrested over the death in 2007 but has never been charged, maintains he is “100 per cent innocent” and said in a video statement that he was being unfairly treated.
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