Amy Winehouse’s father has been ordered to pay nearly £1 million after losing a heated legal fight against two of the late singer’s closest friends. Mitch Winehouse was instructed to make interim payments totaling £963,851 (around $1.3 million) to Naomi Parry and Catriona Gourlay after a High Court judge criticized the case he filed over the sale of Amy’s personal belongings.
According to the BBC, the legal dispute involved 141 items that were auctioned in the United States between 2021 and 2023. The collection included Winehouse’s clothing, handbags, earrings, makeup, ballet slippers, and the dress she wore during her final tour in 2011. Mitch argued that Parry, Amy’s former stylist, and Gourlay had no legal authority to sell the items, accusing them of intentionally concealing the sales from him. However, both women denied any misconduct, maintaining that the belongings were either their own or had been gifted to them by Winehouse.
The court ultimately sided against Mitch. Earlier this year, Judge Sarah Clarke KC dismissed his case, concluding that he had “known all along” that the two women intended to sell the memorabilia.
During the trial, it was alleged that Parry and Gourlay exploited Mitch’s forgetfulness and made more than $1.4 million from the auctions. However, Judge Clarke rejected claims that they had intentionally hidden the sales.
In her ruling, the judge also highlighted Amy’s “extraordinary generosity towards her friends and also those she barely knew,” noting it as an important factor in explaining how many of the singer’s belongings came into the possession of others.
The financial consequences didn’t stop with the loss in court. As of April, Parry’s legal fees were estimated at £715,361, while Gourlay’s costs had climbed to £487,132. Mitch has now been ordered to pay £569,330 to Parry and £394,521 to Gourlay within two weeks, with further legal costs still to be decided.
Judge Clarke strongly criticized the way the case was handled, writing, “The claimant chose to bring an inherently weak claim, pursue it aggressively and relentlessly to the end.” She added that his “serious and unfounded allegations” caused significant damage to the women’s reputations, careers, finances, and health.
Mitch is also responsible for covering his own legal bills. Reports indicate his legal expenses have already reached at least £950,000, meaning the unsuccessful lawsuit could end up costing him millions once all costs are finalized.
Clarke further stated that Mitch had “deliberately turned this case into large-scale and expensive litigation” in an effort to pressure Parry and Gourlay into settling under his preferred terms. She also praised the two women, noting that they had “stood faithfully by Amy” and shown “honesty and integrity over many years.”
The ruling comes 15 years after Amy Winehouse died from alcohol poisoning at the age of 27.
