Amy Winehouse's father ordered to pay $1.26M to her friends
What's the story
Mitch Winehouse, the father of late singer Amy Winehouse, has been ordered by a London court to pay nearly £1 million ($1.26 million) to two of his daughter's friends, according to The Guardian. The ruling comes after he accused them of auctioning off her personal items without his consent and for personal gain. The friends are Naomi Parry and Catriona Gourlay, who were close to the Grammy-winning artist.
Court ruling
Winehouse's claims were dismissed in April
The court dismissed Winehouse's claims in April, ruling that he had known about the auction all along and only pursued legal action after it was completed.
Justice Clarke said, "The claimant chose to bring an inherently weak claim, pursue it aggressively and relentlessly to the end, and make serious and unfounded allegations against the defendants which significantly damaged their reputations, career prospects, financial security, and health."
Judge's remarks
Judge said Winehouse's conduct was 'particularly serious'
The judge also said that Winehouse had been "prone to aggressive reactions to perceived wrongs."
She added, "The fact that he knowingly and deliberately did this to two young women who had stood faithfully by Amy, and also by him and his family, and who had demonstrated their honesty and integrity over many years, makes his unreasonable conduct particularly serious."
Now, he has been ordered to pay Gourlay £394,521 and Parry £569,330 within two weeks.
Auction details
Her items were sold at auctions between 2021-2023
The items sold at the auctions between 2021 and 2023 included Winehouse's clothes, ballet slippers, jewelry, makeup, and handbags.
A silk dress she wore during her final performance in Belgrade was also sold for $243,200.
Despite her fame, the Grammy-winner struggled severely with substance abuse.
She was found dead in her London house in 2011 at 27 due to alcohol poisoning.