• March 31, 2001: Mr Lubbock, 31, of Harlow, Essex, is found dead at Barrymore’s home in nearby Roydon following a party. The entertainer is questioned by police.
• October 2001: Barrymore accepts an official caution for drugs offences and allowing his home to be used for smoking cannabis. No further charges are brought.
• September 2002: An inquest in Epping records an open verdict on Mr Lubbock’s death. Medical experts tell the hearing that he had suffered severe internal injuries, suggesting he may have been the victim of a serious sexual assault. Alcohol, cocaine and Ecstasy were also found in his system.
Barrymore gives evidence, but refuses to answer questions over allegations that he gave Mr Lubbock cocaine just hours before his body was found.
• September 21: ITV announces that it has ‘no plans’ to commission any further shows from the star, who had been one of television’s highest-paid entertainers and reportedly on a £2 million contract with the channel.
• September 30: Barrymore tells GMTV he is ‘sad and sorry’ over the death, and offers to meet Mr Lubbock’s family.
• September 2003: Barrymore abandons a comeback attempt after the first three nights of his one-man show in London receive bad reviews.
• December 2003: Amid reports that he has received a £1.4 million tax bill, he leaves the UK to live in New Zealand with his long-term partner Shaun Davis.
• May 2004: Barrymore announces that he has filed for voluntary bankruptcy in the UK because of the ‘unexpected’ tax demand.
• April 2005: Barrymore’s ex-wife Cheryl dies from breast cancer. He is reportedly not invited to the funeral.
• January 2006: Barrymore returns to screens in the UK as a Celebrity Big Brother housemate. He remains in the house for three weeks and comes runner-up in the final poll, leading to speculation that his showbusiness career will be revived.
After emerging from the house, Barrymore holds a tearful two-hour meeting with Mr Lubbock’s father Terry in a London hotel.
Mr Lubbock reportedly tells the entertainer he does not hold him ‘responsible’ for what happened to his son. Barrymore is said to have responded: ‘It haunts me every day.’
• February: Mr Lubbock’s family are blocked from launching a private prosecution against the celebrity. A district judge in Southend, Essex, rules there is insufficient evidence for a hearing on six offences – four related to the misuse of drugs, one alleging drunk and disorderly behaviour and one alleging assault.
• April 19: Police announce they are reviewing Mr Lubbock’s death as part of ‘routine’ procedure.
• December: Essex Police begin a new inquiry into Mr Lubbock’s death. Detectives say their decision to reinvestigate follows a review of the initial inquiry.
• January 2007: A police watchdog announces an investigation into detectives’ handling of the original inquiry in Mr Lubbock’s death. The Independent Police Complaints Commission says it has decided to investigate aspects of the inquiry after receiving complaints from Mr Lubbock’s family.
• March 30: On the sixth anniversary of Mr Lubbock’s death, detectives investigating the case make a ‘direct appeal’ to ‘those who have any information’ about how he died.
• June 14: Barrymore is arrested along with two other men, aged 37 and 32, on suspicion of serious sexual assault and murder.
The entertainer is released on police bail the following day.
Justin Merritt, from Harlow, Essex, is also released on police bail. The other man – Jonathan Kenny, from Blackpool, in Lancashire – is released on bail a day later.
February 2009: Independent Police Complaints Commission inquiry upholds six of 36 complaints and allegations made by Mr Lubbock’s father.
The IPCC finds two pieces of evidence – a pool thermometer and a door handle – went missing after Mr Lubbock’s death.
IPCC Commissioner David Petch says there were ‘failings in some aspects of the investigation.’
July 2015: Barrymore sues Essex police over his wrongful arrest, issuing a writ against them in the High Court.
May 2017: A judge is to decide on the amount of compensation the entertainer should be paid.
August 2017: Judge rules that Barrymore is to get ‘more than nominal damages’
January 2018: Attorney General Jeremy Wright blocks fresh inquest into death of Mr Lubbock