“Police questioning not awright,” says Barrymore

Lawyers representing troubled television personality Michael Barrymore today presented the Independent Police Complaints Commission with a formal complaint, lambasting interrogation techniques described by the entertainer’s legal team as ‘humiliating and ratings-led’.

The move comes in the wake of renewed enquiries into the death of Stuart Lubbock at Mr Barrymore’s mansion in 2002 and sees Essex police accused of engaging in ‘ill-conceived, lowest-common-denominator police-work’.

According to the complainant, the abuse began immediately upon his arrest for questioning earlier this month, whereupon officers driving the police vehicle repeatedly enquired whether Mr Barrymore was ‘awright at the back’. Thereafter, upon arrival at South Woodham Ferrers Police Station, the star was reputedly invited to choose a bunk in his cell. At this point he was excitedly asked to select between ‘top, middle or bottom’.

Speaking today on behalf of his client, lawyer Henri Bradman described the incident: “Most of the duty staff at the station gathered to shout suggestions at Michael in order to help him make his choice. It was a little bit funny because there was, in fact, only a top and bottom bunk to choose from, but the officers’ frenzied insistence on shouting over each other, after encouragement from their superiors, meant that Michael found it tough to take their advice on board, which was quite distressing for him.”

In addition to psychological pressure it is further claimed that the interrogation placed unreasonable physical demands upon an ageing Barrymore. It appears that police opted to conduct the questioning remotely, via video link up with the nearby Chelmsford station. Presiding officers insisted, however, in reversing the locations of Mr Barrymore and his interrogators following each question. Eyewitnesses reported seeing two uniformed officers and an exhausted Barrymore running in opposite directions across Essex for much of the day.

Mr Bradman explained: “there was clearly no need for Michael and his interrogators to swap places after every question: it was woefully inefficient and by the end of the day he was really struggling for breath. On several occasions, though, either Michael or the detectives forgot they had to swap over and that made everyone laugh. But, of course, then it was it even harder for Michael to catch his breath.”

Essex Police declined to comment upon the investigation by the IPCC, though a spokesperson indicated that viewing figures had been consistently high.