Michael Barrymore 999 caller who was in hot tub when Stuart Lubbock died is now living as a recluse on a canal boat
THE man who made the 999 call following the death of Stuart Lubbock in Michael Barrymore’s pool is living as a recluse on a canal boat, The Sun can reveal.
Justin Merritt, now 45, was arrested as part of the probe into the 31-year-old’s death but later released without charge.
He was nicked alongside Barrymore and the presenters ex, Jonathan Kenney and police say the three men have not been “completely eliminated” from inquiries.
Five others who were at the party that night – Merritt’s younger sister Kylie, chef James Futers, and locals Simon Shaw, Claire Jones, then 17, and Kelly Campbell – have also not been eliminated, according to police, “who say that one or more of the eight at the party was responsible for Stuart’s death”.
He [Lubbock] was ducking under the water and diving about, having a good time. He then went into the pool and was dive bombing.
Justin Merritt
Former binman Merritt has only spoken about that fateful night at the inquest.
He said he was at Barrymore’s Essex mansion in the hot tub with Kenney when dad-of-two Lubbock was enjoying himself in the pool.
Merritt told the inquest: “He was ducking under the water and diving about, having a good time. He then went into the pool and was dive bombing.”
BARRYMORE RECLUSE
The Sun have now tracked him down where he is now living in a remote creek off a canal in southern England.
His boat, which is covered by trees, wooden grates a makeshift tarpaulin and is next to a tent, looks derelict and as if no one has lived there in years.
A small canoe was also visible, which he uses to get across the water and onto the path where locals say he cycles to nearby shops for supplies.
He was spotted hanging washing outside the boat.
Wearing a scarf to cover his face and a hooded jacket, he said he was “not interested” in speaking about the documentary or the death of Lubbock, he confirmed his name.
Locals along the river said they were aware of him but that he kept himself to himself and would only politely nod at people as he passed them on his bike.
HARROWING PHONE PLEA
The harrowing phone plea to Essex Emergency Services in the early hours of March 31, 2001, gives a stark insight into how cops and paramedics were alerted to a body found in the pool.
The 999 call had never been heard in public until last night when it was featured in a new Channel 4 documentary, Barrymore: The Body In The Pool.
The call came in at 5.48am asking for an ambulance to be sent to Barrymore’s mansion at Beaumont Park Drive, Roydon, Essex.
Merritt said: “A geezer’s drowned in the pool.”
F**king hell. I think the geezer’s dead mate.
Justin Merritt
The operator then asks if they got Mr Lubbock, out of the water.
He explains they pulled him out the water then reveals they were at a party, adding: “Someone’s just gone out and found him.”
Merritt then tells the call handler that it was the first time he had been out in years and he has his kids every weekend.
He added: “You don’t expect it, do you?”
There is then a jump forward as the caller shouts out to another partygoer as the ambulance arrives.
The caller then said: “F**king hell. I think the geezer’s dead mate.”
NO JUSTICE
Despite several arrests, no criminal charges have been brought over the death of Stuart, 31, at Barrymore’s mansion in 2001.
A £20,000 reward has been put up for information – which has been doubled by The Sun – after cops blasted the “lies” spun over the past 19 years.
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The 2002 inquest recorded an open verdict after failing to conclude what caused Stuart’s death.
A post-mortem revealed the meat packer had ecstasy, cocaine and alcohol in his system.
Ex-Strike It Lucky host Barrymore has always denied involvement.
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