Amy Winehouse estate seeks £730,000 from friends in auction dispute
The estate of Amy Winehouse is suing two of the late singer’s friends for more than £730,000 over claims they profited from selling her personal property at an auction, a court document has revealed.
The star’s father Mitch Winehouse, as administrator of his daughter’s estate, is bringing the case against Naomi Parry and Catriona Gourlay at the High Court.
According to the court document, it is alleged two women sent “various items of personal property owned by Amy during her lifetime” to two auctions in 2021 and this year.
It is claimed that by putting the items up for sale “in their own names and on their own behalf” the women “converted” the late performer’s property “to their own use”.
The Valerie singer’s estate is seeking £534,192.90 in damages from Ms Parry while also claiming £198,041.07 from Ms Gourlay.
A statement first issued by a spokesperson for the Amy Winehouse Estate last month said: “In 2021, Amy’s estate auctioned items from her life and career with 30% of the proceeds going to the Amy Winehouse Foundation.
“Two individuals sold a number of items at that auction and have retained the proceeds: the items were all Amy related.
“This year they have put more Amy-related items up for auction and together the two auctions have generated six figure sums for each of them.
“The estate has questioned how these items came into their possession and has not had satisfactory answers.
“The estate has therefore launched a legal process to clarify the situation .
“The Amy Winehouse Foundation will directly benefit if monies are recovered from either defendant.”
Winehouse died in 2011, aged 27.
After two inquests, her cause of death was revealed to be accidental by way of alcohol poisoning.
Her 2006 album Back To Black made her an international star and won five Grammys, including record of the year and song of the year for Rehab.
Press Association – Tom Pilgrim