Barrymore pool man 'suffered sex assault'

A man found dead in the swimming pool of the television celebrity Michael Barrymore may have died after being held around the neck while having sex, an inquest was told.

Stuart Lubbock, 31, was discovered at Mr Barrymore's home in Roydon near Harlow, Essex, on 31 March last year.

On MOnday, the inquest was told he was sexually assaulted and died from drowning.

But Professor Christopher Milroy, a forensic pathologist, said yesterday pin-head sized haemorrhages had been found on the face and behind the eyes of Mr Lubbock that were not commonly found in drowning, but were often seen in connection with "some constriction of the neck". He said: "It is a possibility Mr Lubbock was held around the neck."

He added that some people found it a "pleasurable experience to have their neck squeezed" while having sex.

But Professor Milroy could not confirm whether these injuries were the result of a sexual assault or "violent, but consensual activity".

The hearing in Epping was told Mr Lubbock, a butcher, had taken large quantities of ecstasy, alcohol and a small amount of cocaine.

He was found dead shortly before 6am on 31 March.

Professor Milroy confirmed that the drugs could have weakened Mr Lubbock's heart and that, with anal sex, could have led to a heart attack.

He considered drowning, hypothermia, drug intoxication followed by drowning and intoxication as causes of death. But he recorded the actual cause as "unascertained".

Earlier Dr Michael Heath, another forensic pathologist, said that injuries showed Mr Lubbock had been assaulted shortly before his death. He said he believed Mr Lubbock had died from drowning. He said: "There was no evidence of a third party having been involved in Mr Lubbock's death."