Michael Barrymore has walked free from a police station and has been told by lawyers that he will not face any charges over sexually assaulting or murdering a man that was found dead at his home six years ago.

Lawyers claimed that there was no "realistic" prospect of the former TV presenter being convicted, while the Crown Prosecution Service said there was "insufficient evidence" to charge Barrymore in connection with the death of Stuart Lubbock.

The 31-year-old had been a guest at a party thrown by Barrymore at his house in Roydon, Essex, in 2001. Lubbock's body was found in the swimming pool and a post-mortem revealed that he had suffered from severe internal injuries suggesting sexual assault, and he had traces of class A drugs in his bloodstream.

After a lengthy investigation, no-one was charged with any offence in connection with Lubbock's death, but the investigation was re-opened in December 2006.

Barrymore was arrested in June, but yesterday he made no comment to waiting journalists as he walked free from the Harlow police station.

His lawyer, Henri Brandman, said that his client had "always protested his innocence".