Barrymore, 55, was arrested at an address in London and driven to the station at lunchtime. He was kept in overnight.
Barrymore’s former lover, Jonathan Kenney, 37, was arrested at the same time in the North East of England and Justin Merritt, 32, a dustman from Harlow, Essex, was picked up by officers in the Midlands. All three have been brought to Essex by police.
The arrests come after a review of the death of Mr Lubbock was carried out in 2000.
A spokeswoman for Essex Police said: “We had a review done last year as a matter of routine looking at all unexplained cases and that has resulted in the action today.
“The officers would have to have grounds to arrest someone. The review will have gone over all the statements and every piece of forensic evidence and would have identified any new forensic opportunity, if there are any.”
Mr Lubbock, a butcher, was found at his Barrymore's home in Roydon, early on March 31 2001. His father, Terry, 62, of Harlow, said today: “I am really pleased. It feels like it is the end of a long struggle.” He said he did not know what new evidence police had.
Mr Lubbock’s brother, Kevin, 39, also of Harlow, added: “I am really happy this has all come to light. It’s been a long time... I am a bit numb.”
Post-mortem tests showed that he had suffered severe internal injuries that suggested sexual assault. Alcohol, Ecstasy and cocaine were found in his blood.
It is the second time that Barrymore has been arrested in connection with the death.
Three months after Mr Lubbock’s death, Barrymore was arrested on suspicion of possessing class A and class B drugs, as well as other drugs offences.
Two other men arrested at the same time, one from Blackpool and another from Harlow, Essex, were arrested on suspicion of murdering Mr Lubbock.
In October 2001, Barrymore accepted an official caution for drugs offences and allowing his home to be used for smoking cannabis. The other men were released without charge.
Nevertheless, the case has continued to haunt the entertainer, who left the UK for New Zealand in late 2003.
Barrymore’s former agent Karen Kay, who is in Auckland, New Zealand, said that the entertainer returned to the UK one month ago. She said Barrymore left New Zealand because he was homesick.
Ms Kay said she was sorry to hear Barrymore had been arrested. She said: “He left a month ago to come back to England. He wanted to go back home.”
Since returning to the UK, Barrymore has been mixing in London showbusiness circles again. Last week he attended the final of search-for-a-star show Joseph with life coach Carole Caplin. She declined to comment today.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission said earlier this year that it had decided to investigate aspects of the inquiry after receiving complaints from the family of Mr Lubbock.
Tony Bennett, the Lubbock family solicitor, said that he had complained about information that Essex Police gave to a coroner and pathologists after Lubbock's death.
The commission said that the investigation into the complaint would be carried out by another force.
No one was charged in connection with Lubbock's death and an open verdict was recorded at an inquest. Police are launching a fresh inquiry into the death of a partygoer at the home of television entertainer Michael Barrymore.
Essex Police announced the move on Monday, while the TV personality was speaking on BBC Radio Five Live.
An open verdict was recorded at the inquest last September when pathologists said they could not be certain he had drowned.
Essex Police faxed the BBC as Mr Barrymore was telling radio listeners he had new evidence about Mr Lubbock's injuries.
The police statement said officers would investigate suggestions by Mr Barrymore's lawyer that the dead man suffered injuries after being taken from the entertainer's home.
The new line of inquiry would be overseen by a superintendent.
2 comments:
Your blog has been checked on Wednesday July 25 and any updates (of lack of updates) have been noted.
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Your blog was checked on monday 30th july and any updates (or lack of updates have been noted.)
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