Mitch Winehouse accuses friends of illegally auctioning off 150 of his daughter’s items. Now he is demanding 836,000 euros.
Amy Winehouse’s father has faced off against two of her closest friends, Naomi Perry and Catriona Gourlay, at the High Court in London. The 75-year-old accuses the two women of unlawfully selling the singer’s personal belongings and is now demanding the equivalent of around 836,000 euros back.
Personal pieces by Amy Winehouse
Specifically, according to the Daily Mail, it is about 150 personal items of the deceased that were auctioned off at Julien’s Auctions in Los Angeles in 2021. Among other things, it is said to be about a silk mini dress that the singer wore at her last appearance in Belgrade. Further items are said to have been sold in 2023. Mitch Winehouse acts as the executor of the estate and, according to his camp, wants to donate the requested money to the “Amy Winehouse Foundation”.
Contrasting representations in court
The lawyers from each camp paint different pictures in court. Henry Legge, who represents Winehouse’s father, explained according to the Mirror that the two friends had concealed the fact that they had registered numerous items in the catalog as their own in order to keep the proceeds. Mirror also quoted a text message between Naomi Perry and auctioneer Darren Julien, which said: “Last dress sold for 162,000 euros. I think Mitch thinks this dress belongs to him.” The Belgrade dress was auctioned for 208,000 euros. Naomi Perry responded: “Just shows he doesn’t know much about Amy’s stuff.”
In 2023 it was also about blood-stained ballet shoes that the singer had worn in 2007. These were sold for 3,400 euros. The two friends denied the allegations and said that Amy Winehouse had given or lent them the pieces and that they therefore had the right to sell them. According to the Mirror, lawyer Beth Grossman also pointed out that these were long-ago, private situations between friends about which only a few documents exist. The former taxi driver also commented on the witness stand: “I assume that because they were so close, Amy gave them a few things, but 150 items – I just can’t believe that.”
Father and friends remained in touch after death
Amy Winehouse died of alcohol poisoning in 2011. Her father, Mitch Winehouse, remained in touch with her two closest friends after her death. The two were considered close confidants of the singer, and Naomi Perry even worked as the deceased’s stylist at times. The family even had the women’s close bond engraved on the singer’s gravestone. Now the good contact seems to be over.