Two of Amy Winehouse’s friends are facing allegations in London’s High Court that they “took advantage” of the singer’s father by selling personal items worth around £730,000 ($970,000), a lawyer said on Tuesday.
Naomi Parry, Winehouse’s former stylist, and her friend Catriona Gourlay sold dozens of items, including a black Armani bag and dresses the singer wore on her last tour in June 2011. Mitch Winehouse has filed a lawsuit against them, claiming they had no right to auction the possessions, which were sold between November 2021 and May 2023.
According to Henry Legge, the lawyer representing Mitch Winehouse, the two women misled him and his ex-wife Janis by describing the sale as involving only a “few things.” Legge said this was “grossly misleading” and added that Parry had admitted Mitch Winehouse was “lazy” about keeping track of the items.
“It is clear that they took advantage of his forgetfulness,” Legge told the court, pushing back against suggestions from the defense that Mitch Winehouse was motivated by greed or dishonesty, which he dismissed as “cheap shots.”
‘Gifts’
Amy Winehouse, who shot to global fame in the 2000s, died in July 2011 from alcohol poisoning at the age of 27. Known for her smoky voice, iconic beehive hairstyle, heavy black eye makeup, and tattoos, she left a lasting mark on the music world.
Her 2006 Grammy-winning album Back to Black included the track “Rehab,” which chronicled her struggles with addiction and cemented her international reputation.
Court documents show that Mitch Winehouse believed he was entitled to any proceeds from the sales arranged by Los Angeles-based Julien’s Auctions. He was also told that a third of the profits would be donated to the Amy Winehouse Foundation, a charity set up in her name to support young people. The foundation has claimed it did not receive the promised portion of the proceeds.
Ted Loveday, representing Gourlay, said most of the items had been given or loaned to the two women by Amy Winehouse herself. “If a 19-year-old gives a scarf or a pair of earrings to their friends, no one signs a contract,” he told the court, stressing the singer’s generosity.
Parry’s lawyer, Beth Grossman, has also insisted that the women “are not thieves and they are not dishonest.”
The case is expected to conclude soon, with a judgement due at a later date.