Amy Winehouse's flatmates 'secretly sold' her possessions for over £700k, star's father claims

Mitch Winehouse, acting as the administrator of his daughter's estate, is taking action against her former stylist Naomi Parry and friend Catriona Gourlay after accusing them of profiting from selling items at auctions in the US in 2021 and 2023.

Ms Winehouse died from alcohol poisoning in 2011 aged 27 and her father initially kept in touch with the two women before the fall-out.

On Monday, the High Court heard from Mr Winehouse's lawyers that the pair failed to inform him they were selling the items.

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Ms Parry and Ms Gourlay are contesting the claim, with their representives stating that the items were either given to them by the singer or were already owned by them.

Henry Legge KC, for Mr Winehouse, said in written submissions that the items included a silk mini-dress worn by the star during her final performance in Belgrade, Serbia, which Ms Parry auctioned for $243,200 (£182,000) in 2021.

Mr Legge said: "Ms Parry and Ms Gourlay deliberately concealed from Mr Winehouse the fact that they were auctioning the items consigned by them to the 2021 auction and that they were claiming ownership of those items."

The court heard that Mr Winehouse believed that all the 834 items in the 2021 auction catalogue were owned by the estate, but that the two women were "asserting ownership of over 150."

Mr Legge said that after Ms Winehouse’s death, Mr Winehouse was approached by Darren Julien, of Julien's Auctions in Los Angeles, in 2014 regarding an auction of her belongings, which Mr Winehouse initially declined.

Mr Julien then contacted Ms Parry, who indicated that she would be willing to sell "my collection" in 2018, with Ms Gourlay indicating she would be willing to sell items in 2019, Mr Legge said.

A previous court hearing was told that Ms Parry had sold around 50 items at the 2021 auction for around $878,183 (around £682,000), and Ms Gourlay had sold around 90 items, for a total of $334,113 (around £259,000).

Giving evidence, Mr Winehouse said: "I assume that, being so close, Amy would have given them some things, but 150 items, I just cannot believe it."

Beth Grossman, for Ms Parry, said that her client became Ms Winehouse's stylist in 2006 and stayed at her property in Camden, London.

Ms Grossman said: "Both defendants contend that the vast majority of the disputed items were in their possession from before Amy’s death in 2011, and in many instances from years before her death.

"Moreover, each defendant alleges that a number of disputed items had, in fact, always belonged to them and had only ever been loaned by Amy."

Ted Loveday, on behalf of Ms Gourlay, said that his client "believed, and still believes, that the sale of the items is what Amy would have wanted."

The trial is expected to conclude this week.