MITCH WINEHOUSE ORDERED TO PAY £950,000 TO DAUGHTER'S FRIENDS

Mitch Winehouse has been ordered to pay £950,000 to two friends of his late daughter Amy Winehouse after losing a High Court case in London. Winehouse sued Naomi Parry, Amy Winehouse's former stylist, and Catriona Gourlay over their auction of the singer's personal belongings between 2021 and 2023. The judge found that Winehouse had known about the intended sales all along and pursued the claim for financial reasons rather than on legitimate grounds.

The 155 items auctioned included clothes, ballet slippers, handbags, earrings, makeup and a dress worn during Amy Winehouse's final tour in 2011. One account stated the defendants had pocketed more than $1.4 million from the sales. Judge Sarah Clarke ruled that Parry and Gourlay had not deliberately concealed the items from Winehouse and that the late singer was known for her "extraordinary generosity towards her friends". The judge found no evidence of dishonest conduct by the defendants.

In her ruling, Clarke stated that Winehouse "chose to bring an inherently weak claim, pursue it aggressively and relentlessly to the end, and make serious and unfounded allegations against the defendants which significantly damaged their reputations, career prospects, financial security and health". She noted his conduct was "particularly serious" given that the two women "had stood faithfully by Amy". Winehouse must also cover his own substantial legal costs in addition to the £950,000 payment to the defendants. Amy Winehouse died in July 2011 at age 27 from alcohol poisoning.