michael barrymore

[inchtwinkle]

LONDON (Reuters) - TV entertainer Michael Barrymore faces legal action over the death of a 31-year-old man found in a pool at his Essex mansion nearly five years ago, the lawyer bringing the case said on Monday.

No charges were brought against Barrymore over the death of meat factory worker Stuart Lubbock who died in hospital the morning after a party at the entertainer's home in March 2001.

But public scandal over the case left Barrymore's once highly successful British TV career in tatters and he has recently been living in New Zealand.

Essex lawyer and local activist Tony Bennett went to court on Monday to bring a private prosecution after Barrymore, 53, returned to Britain to appear in Channel 4's "Celebrity Big Brother" programme.

Bennett asked a judge to summon Barrymore to court to answer six charges, including one alleging an assault on Lubbock, four alleging drug-related offences and one allegation of being drunk and disorderly.

Bennett, 58, who describes himself as a "self-employed rights adviser", brought the case on his own account but said he had the full support of Lubbock's family.

"I am acting as a concerned citizen out of a feeling that Barrymore should account for his possible crimes that evening," he told Reuters.

The judge, at Epping Magistrates Court in Essex, southeast England, adjourned the hearing "for a few days" to give time for Barrymore or his lawyers to be made aware of the application and come to court to contest it, Bennett said.

Bennett later travelled to the Elstree studios north of London in Hertfordshire where Barrymore is filming Big Brother, in an unsuccessful attempt to deliver to him details of the application.

Barrymore is not allowed leave the Big Brother house or to receive news from the outside world until the show ends on January 27, or earlier if he is evicted by a television viewers' vote.

OPEN VERDICT

A spokeswoman for Barrymore said: "We are currently unaware at this time of the exact detail of this proposed prosecution.

"But hopefully this may answer some questions for both Mr Lubbock, his family and Michael Barrymore."

Post-mortem tests showed Lubbock had drowned and an inquest recorded an open verdict on his death.

The coroner said Lubbock had been found with drugs and alcohol in his system and with serious anal injuries.

Police arrested two men on suspicion of Lubbock's murder, but later released them without charge.

Barrymore was cautioned for possession of cannabis and allowing his home for using the drug.

[Tinkabell]

Oh dear, think Barrymore went into the Big Brother house thinking this was all behind him. I do think he should answer for what happend at his house, but not sure why this person doing it now are they trying to get into the limelight themselves?

[ruby1]

Sounds a bit odd to me like someone's covering something up. He should pay the price if he's guilty like any other non-celeb would. Think he went into the house to make a new start.

[inchtwinkle]

see evryones going to hate me now, but what i think this man is doing is uncalled for, no-one forced a man of 31 to snort drugs up his nose he was over the legal age to not have a gaurdian, and therefore has the right or had the right to make up his own mind, as for the drowing michael paid the price for that, and still is, and he went to court, so if they found him not guilty then why should they find him guilty now when no new evidece has come up, i personally feel that this is just a stab at a man who is close to the edge,

Yes what happened to the man that died was an awful thing to happen and should never have happened, and someone should pay, but they have found michael barrymore not guilty of these things before,

if michael barrymore was not on telly then this would not have happened, he would still be in new zeland living his life, which yes is a bit rich as a man died in his house, but he would have been left alone, and the 31 year old man that died family, would have been able to attempt a normal life knowing that he wasn't about aswell,

which ever way i try to put this it sounds wrong, so i am going to give up, i have lost before and the pain is unbeleivable, but time truly is a healer, and although it never really takes all the pain away, and helps you to cope,

[Ravenfire]

Personally I think the man bringing the case against Barrymore is doing it for publicity. He isnt a family member and strikes me as strange that he has waited until Barrymore is back on tv to do it!

[emap]

I agree, what else has this man to gain from bringing the prosecution up? What if the family only want to get on with their own lives? Imagine the pain caused by dragging it all up again.

As inchtwinkle said the man was a consenting adult in this after all. No one can force you to snort drugs.

[sbroadley]

I agree - the solicitor is looking for publicity - is he bringing the action himself or on behalf of somebody.

If the police or CPS thought there was a case against Barrymore they would have already brought it or served papers.

Give the bloke a break - he might have had a few drugs and a few drinks but that doesnt make him guilty of murder !!!