Amy Winehouse's Father Ordered to Pay Her Friends $1.26M: Judge Says He 'Knew All Along' About Auction

Amy Winehouse's father, Mitch Winehouse, has been ordered to pay nearly £950,000 ($1.26M) in legal costs to two of the singer's friends following his defeat in a High Court case over the sale of her personal belongings.

The ruling is the latest twist in a lengthy legal battle involving dozens of items that once belonged to the Grammy-winning artist. The judge concluded Mitch Winehouse had known about the planned auctions from the outset, despite later denying it.

Court Rejects Mitch Winehouse's Claims

The legal battle revolved around former stylist Naomi Parry and family friend Catriona Gourlay, who auctioned 155 of the singer's belongings between 2021 and 2023. Included in the sales were dresses, handbags, ballet slippers, earrings, cosmetics, and the outfit she wore on her final tour in 2011.

Mitch Winehouse argued that the women had no legal right to sell the items, and accused them of secretly arranging the auctions while raising more than $1.4M from the sales. However, Judge Sarah Clarke dismissed the claims in April, ruling that the pair had acted honestly and that Mitch knew about the planned auctions all along. The court also found that he only sought to recover the proceeds after the auctions concluded.

Judge Condemns His Conduct

Judge Sarah Clarke sharply criticised Mitch Winehouse in Wednesday's ruling, saying that he pursued an inherently weak case, making baseless allegations while causing significant harm to the defendants.

Clarke also said that his actions were particularly serious since both women had remained loyal to Amy Winehouse and her family for years. 'The fact that he knowingly and deliberately did this to two young women who had stood faithfully by Amy... makes his unreasonable conduct particularly serious,' she said. The judge ordered him to pay their legal costs on an indemnity basis, reflecting the court's strong disapproval of his conduct.

Mitch Winehouse Faces Immediate Legal Bill

As part of the costs ruling, Judge Sarah Clarke ruled that Mitch Winehouse must make interim payments before the total legal bill is finalised. Under the order, Naomi Parry is to receive £569,330, while Catriona Gourlay will receive £394,521 within two weeks.

The judge also said Mitch Winehouse widened his claim late in the proceedings, extending the trial by three days and increasing the overall costs. She further found that he sought to pressure the women into settling by making damaging public allegations despite knowing that they were financially vulnerable.

Friends Cleared as Amy Winehouse's Legacy Lives On

Judge Sarah Clarke found no evidence that Naomi Parry and Catriona Gourlay acted dishonestly. She accepted the women's evidence that Amy Winehouse had gifted or loaned many of the items during her lifetime.

She also highlighted the singer's well-known generosity, noting that Winehouse often gave possessions to friends and even acquaintances. The judge said that the women had little choice but to defend themselves in court because of the serious allegations against them.

Amy Winehouse, best known for hits including 'Rehab', 'Back to Black', and 'You Know I'm No Good,' died from accidental alcohol poisoning in 2011 at the age of 27. More than a decade after her death, the legal battle over her belongings has ended in victory for two of her closest friends and a costly defeat for her father.