Lubbock 'died after sex assault'

The man found dead in Michael Barrymore's swimming pool had suffered a serious sexual assault shortly before his death, an inquest heard today.

Butcher Stuart Lubbock, 31, suffered tearing and bruises to his body "indicative of a serious sexual assault", according to the pathologist who examined him.

Mr Lubbock died of drowning but also had high levels of drink and drugs in his system, which could have made him inhale water and may have stopped him getting out of the pool at the entertainer's £2 million Essex home.

The pathologist today told the inquest into Mr Lubbock's death that he found recent internal injuries - both bruises and lacerations.

Videotape of Mr Lubbock earlier in the evening at the Millennium nightclub in Harlow showed that at that stage he had not been injured and therefore the assault happened after he left the club by taxi with Mr Barrymore and friends to return to the TV entertainer's home at Roydon.

Mr Lubbock's body was found in the pool the following morning.

Pathologist Dr Michael Heath told Essex and Thurrock Coroner, Caroline Beasley-Murray, that he was sure Mr Lubbock had drowned. "There is no evidence of a third party having been involved in Mr Lubbock's death," he said.

"Although there were a number of small bruises and marks on Mr Lubbock's body there was nothing to indicate he had been attacked before he went into the pool.

"There was no evidence of a scuffle and no evidence of defence wounds or restraint. There was no evidence of a fight or struggle having taken place," he said.

"Death was due to immersion - he died while he was actually in the swimming pool."

Analysis of samples taken from Mr Lubbock's body showed his alcohol level at 223 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood was a little short of three times the limit for driving and that there were also traces of amphetamines and the breakdown products of cocaine.

"In my opinion these substances were not enough to to cause death," he added.

In June last year Barrymore, 49, was arrested over suspected drug offences following Mr Lubbock's death the previous March.

The inquest in Epping has heard that the police sent a file on the case to the Crown Prosecution Service, who decided no further action should be taken. At one stage last year, two men who were at the party, John Kenney, 31, from Blackpool and Justin Merritt, 26, from Harlow were arrested on suspicion of murder.

However, both were released. Both men and Mr Barrymore will be giving evidence to the inquest later this week.

Dr Heath said that there were a number of injuries and marks on Mr Lubbock's body caused during attempts to resuscitate him both at the poolside and in hospital. Blood found in his mouth and air passages was due to attempts to save him.

He found Mr Lubbock's lungs were heavily waterlogged and having carried out post mortems on hundreds of drowning victims recovered from the Thames during his 25-year career as a pathologist he was sure that was how Mr Lubbock died.

The hearing continues.