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January 23, 2003updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

Mercury ahead of nationals on Barrymore case

By Press Gazette

By Jean Morgan

Michael Barrymore’s local newspaper, the Hoddesdon and Broxbourne Mercury, discovered police had renewed their investigations into the suspicious death at the star’s home two weeks before the national press.

Essex Police confirmed last week they were looking into specific allegations that injuries sustained by 31-year-old partygoer Stuart Lubbock were made after he left Barrymore’s Roydon home.

The Mercury received conformation from the police on New Year’s Eve that “a senior officer has been assigned to review the allegations” after receiving a letter from David Corker, the solicitor acting for Barrymore.

The Mercury front page for 3 January carried the report: “Serious allegations that the injuries caused to a partygoer found floating in the pool at comic Michael Barrymore’s Roydon home were actually caused at a hospital are being investigated by a senior police officer, the Mercury has discovered.”

Lubbock was taken to the Princess Alexandra Hospital at Harlow following his discovery in the pool on 31 March 2001.

Jean Morgan

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