Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Michael Barrymore

585 replies

ChairsAndStairs · 06/02/2020 21:29

I’ve always wondered why his career was so badly damaged by what happened at his house.

It was awful that a man died, but he was never found guilty and it was never proved that he was in any way involved - as far as I remember.

He was so popular before and had a really strong career. AIBU to wonder why people turned against him so quickly?

I don’t mean this to be a goady thread, just generally wondering why he was the ‘only’ fall guy for what happened.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
SouthWestmom · 09/02/2020 16:24

It is important to underline, however, that neither report identified any evidence linking Mr Parker to the anal injuries or to the immediate cause of death.

Found this in the court of appeal document (pathology reports) but not the nothing to do with it bit

PotholeParadise · 09/02/2020 16:25

Well, that sounds like an accurate, exact quote from a QC. /sarcasm

SouthWestmom · 09/02/2020 16:29

All I can find is the CPS saying no evidence or witness evidence etc sufficient to charge any individual because:

Eye witnesses not saying anything much
No DNA evidence
No certain cause of death
No objects to be tested

fripperyclose · 09/02/2020 16:41

It's great that witnesses are coming forward but I worry that without any proper evidence that a prosecution is unlikely now Sad

nolovelost · 09/02/2020 17:17

I wonder if new info has come from people in the club that have heard conversations.

BeyondReasonablyDoubtsLots · 09/02/2020 17:30

I'm confused, wonder if anyone here can help...

Same as a lot of posters here, I'd always been (having been youngish then) under the impression it was a slightly seedy orgy-gone-wrong

But what's confusing me is the opinion (or was it stated as fact?) given that his heart attack was brought on by the rape (they keep saying rape, legally don't they mean penetrative sexual assault?), rather than the copious amounts of uppers in his system? The second seems so much more plausible to me - not for a second saying he wasn't assaulted btw.

fripperyclose · 09/02/2020 17:36

they keep saying rape, legally don't they mean penetrative sexual assault

Seems like a rather unnecessary splitting of hairs tbh.

BeyondReasonablyDoubtsLots · 09/02/2020 17:38

I don't think it's splitting hairs - rape would mean that his attacker had to be male.

BeyondReasonablyDoubtsLots · 09/02/2020 17:41

There were women there, who have been automatically ruled out based on him being raped. Except he wasn't raped afaik, it makes a difference.

Obviously statistically it is unlikely to be the women. But given so much disinformation has been spread about this case, I feel it is important to be factually correct.

aroundtheworldyet · 09/02/2020 17:54

I doubt the police have ruled the women out because they use the term rape. I mean the police aren't that stupid, even if in this case they have been incompetent

Absolutepowercorrupts · 09/02/2020 17:59

BeyondReasonablyDoubtsLots
Are you one of those people that think rape is only unwanted penis in vagina sex?
Why are you so sure that Stuart Lubbock wasn't raped?

aroundtheworldyet · 09/02/2020 18:02

I mean the likelihood is he was also raped by a penis
But a swimming pool full of bleach is going to decimate that dna

Absolutepowercorrupts · 09/02/2020 18:06

I feel it is important to be factually correct
Well then @BeyondReasonablyDoubtsLots
Be factually correct and stop making stuff up.

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 09/02/2020 18:08

The pathologist couldn’t rule out rape with a penis as one of the causes of the damage. Therefore, the police had to treat people on the scene who were male as potential suspects.

SouthWestmom · 09/02/2020 18:08

But what's confusing me is the opinion (or was it stated as fact?) given that his heart attack was brought on by the rape (they keep saying rape, legally don't they mean penetrative sexual assault?), rather than the copious amounts of uppers in his system? The second seems so much more plausible to me - not for a second saying he wasn't assaulted btw.

The CPS have twice said that one of the many reasons for lack of prosecution is a lack of definitive cause of death. As far as I remember from the court judgements (decision plus subsequent appeal re: wrongful arrest and damages) there were theories around death incl drowning.

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 09/02/2020 18:11

From MB’s case against Essex police linked earlier

Michael Barrymore
BeyondReasonablyDoubtsLots · 09/02/2020 18:17

Absolute, legally - in England and Wales - rape does require a penis but not necessarily in a vagina. I didn't write the law, don't blame me.

I'm sure the police didn't rule the women out for that, but people have. Didn't realise I'd be writing something so controversial! Thank you for actually answering me chaz and noeuf :)

fishonabicycle · 09/02/2020 18:22

To me it seems clear that everyone there was involved in some way - surely otherwise any innocent party would give evidence against the rest?

WiddlinDiddlin · 09/02/2020 18:23

I think that everyone present knows and feels they were complicit in his death.

It is the ONLY reason no one would speak out, Barrymore paying folk off would not work long term, only fear of being caught would.

I think they went home from a club, wild night of drugs and sex games, things go way too far, Stuart dies, everyone panics, chuck him in the pool it will look like he drowned... Barrymores agent gives him duff advice to do a bunk.

If Stuard died of a heartattack following drug use and sodomy, its entirely possible everyone thought he was consenting (even him) without realising how badly injured he actually was, and no one person actually knows who killed him... therefore they all keep quiet.

SouthWestmom · 09/02/2020 18:26

Merrit and Kennedy have been arrested twice in relation to this and were due to be arrested again - second time Barrymore was also arrested due to the info about the injury to his penis and something else I can't remember (maybe someone saying it was a hairbrush?) although there was more reason for arrest given these tipped the balance in 2007 and all three were picked up - that's the wrongful arrest case. Think the other two were also arrested 2001. CPS have said both times no evidence to prosecute.

Wilmalovescake · 09/02/2020 18:29

No need to be snippy Absolute- my understanding is that in UK law the offence of rape does require a penis.

Penetration with objects is a different offence.

Absolutepowercorrupts · 09/02/2020 18:50

I'm not being snippy. It is this sentence that made me wonder why Beyond is so sure that Stuart wasn't raped.
Except he wasn't raped afaik, it makes a difference

Wilmalovescake · 09/02/2020 18:53

Perhaps I misread you then, my apologies.

Well the pathologists pretty much ruled it out as much as they could without being able to rule it out in their reports. Yes technically a penis could have caused such injuries but they make it pretty clear they don’t think it did; and that Stuart was penetrated with something larger and harder Sad

aroundtheworldyet · 09/02/2020 18:56

Yes you can only rape with a penis

But the police clearly believe he was raped. As well as sexual assault with an object. That’s what I get from it. But perhaps I am wrong.

lynzpynz · 09/02/2020 19:05

Just watched the documentary on the case this afternoon coincidentally. His actions following the incident are reprehensible, going AWOL before ambulance arrived, refusing to cooperate during initial enquiry, blaming the emergency services for the I jury etc. The documentary suggested only police bad mishandling of the scene allowed so many vital pieces of evidence to go 'missing' etc. Also said after his arrest he is one of only 3 people who could say what happened to cause his injuries so if he didn't do it he knows who did. They contacted his solicitors at end of program and they said essentially its likely he slipped and fell at the poolside to cause his injuries...

I used to feel sorry for him, suggest watching it and you may change your mind as I did.

Swipe left for the next trending thread