Essex Entertainer Michael Barrymore is entitled to “more than nominal” damages against Essex Police over the wrongful arrest which he says destroyed his career, a High Court judge has ruled.

The comedian and TV presenter, real name Michael Parker, was arrested and detained in June 2007 on suspicion of the rape and murder of 31-year-old Stuart Lubbock, who was found in the swimming pool at his Roydon home six years earlier.

Mr Justice Stuart-Smith, sitting in London on Friday, ruled against the force, which had argued that Mr Barrymore should only receive a nominal payout.

Mr Barrymore, 65, who was not present for the decision, values his claim at more than £2.4 million.

The judge did not decide on the sum to be awarded, as his ruling dealt only with the preliminary issue of the level of damages to be awarded to Mr Barrymore, who brought the action in his real name, Michael Ciaran Parker.

Essex Police had admitted the arrest was unlawful, as the arresting officer did not have reasonable grounds to suspect that Mr Barrymore was guilty.

Mr Justice Stuart-Smith ruled that the defendant - the Chief Constable of Essex Police - “has failed to prove that, if not arrested unlawfully as he was, Mr Parker could and would have been arrested lawfully”.

He added: “Mr Parker is entitled to recover more than nominal damages.”

But Essex Police have defended the arrest in a statement released after the judgement this morning (August 18), saying they had "reasonable grounds to suspect Barrymore had raped or murdered Mr Lubbock."

The statement added: "The judgement also states there was clear evidence of a violent penetrating assault which may have been rape and that Mr Parker was one of a small and closed group of people who could have committed the assault. 

"Unfortunately the designated arresting officer who did have the required knowledge to make a lawful arrest was stuck in traffic when Mr Parker was seen on June 14, 2007.

"For operational reasons it was not desirable to postpone the arrest which was co-ordinated with the arrest of two other suspects.

"It is agreed that the surveillance officer who arrested Mr Parker did not have the required grounds for suspicion in his mind and therefore the arrest was unlawful. 

"The question of what losses Mr Parker suffered as a result of his arrest on that day in June 2007 will now proceed to a further hearing."

The police also took the opportunity to reappeal for information about Mr Lubbock's death.

It said: "Today’s judgement must not overshadow the questions which are still unanswered for Mr Lubbock’s family and friends.

"Sixteen years on they still need to know what happened to Stuart on that night, how he was injured, and who is responsible for his death.

"A small number of people know the answers to those questions and over the years loyalties change and somebody may want to help us at this time. Essex Police remain committed to establishing what happened.

"Anyone who feels they have information which could help police answer those questions should contact us on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."

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