Auctioneer calls Mitch Winehouse 'a bully' in Amy memorabilia trial

Mitch Winehouse (David Parry/PA) David Parry

The auctioneer who organized Amy Winehouse memorabilia sales has accused the singer's father of being "a bully" and knowing full well that two of her friends were selling items. Darren Julien testified in London's High Court that Mitch Winehouse was fully aware Naomi Parry and Catriona Gourlay were consigning items to auctions held in 2021 and 2023.

The explosive testimony came as Mitch Winehouse is suing the two women for £730,000, alleging they unlawfully profited from selling his late daughter's possessions without his knowledge. Both women, who lived with the singer, are defending the claim by asserting the items were either gifts from Amy Winehouse or their own belongings.

Darren Julien, who runs Julien's Auctions in Los Angeles, testified via video link from California on Thursday. He told the court: «We were very straightforward with Mitch all the way along.» The auctioneer then made a blunt accusation: «He is a bully. He would bully us; he would bully Naomi and Catriona.»

Julien insisted there was no conspiracy against Mitch Winehouse. He stated: «Mitch knew all along that these items were consigned by Naomi and Catriona, no question.» The auctioneer dismissed suggestions he and Parry worked as a "tag team" to persuade Winehouse to participate.

Parry's explosive counter-claim

Naomi Parry, 41, made her own serious accusation while giving evidence on Thursday. She claimed Mitch Winehouse offered her $250,000 (£187,000) to drop the legal action. In a detailed testimony, Parry stated: «On or around 22 November 2021, I called Mr Winehouse and asked what was going on and told him this was pure greed. He offered me $250,000k (£187k) of the proceeds of the sale (of) my collection in exchange for the rest, to make this all go away. I told him I would rather set the money on fire than give him a penny; these were my exact words.»

Parry also testified that Mitch Winehouse only questioned her ownership of items after they sold for significant amounts at auction. She said he believed she had "stolen" items from a lock-up facility containing some of the singer's belongings.

The disputed auctions

At the heart of the case are US auctions held in 2021 and 2023. The 2021 sale featured 834 items and raised $1.4 million (£1.05 million) for Amy Winehouse's estate, with 30 percent going to the Amy Winehouse Foundation. Around 700 items came from the family, but Parry and Gourlay sold approximately 150 items, mainly clothes.

Among the disputed items was a silk mini-dress worn by Amy Winehouse in her final performance in Belgrade, Serbia, roughly one month before her death. It sold for $243,200 (£182,656). Parry's items alone raised about $878,000 (£682,000).

Mitch Winehouse maintained in his evidence that he believed «everything in the auction catalogue belonged to us» and it was «billed as a single seller auction». He denied suing the women out of jealousy, calling the suggestion "wrong".

Henry Legge KC, representing Mitch Winehouse, told the court he would ask the judge «not to accept» Julien's evidence about meetings with Winehouse. He argued in written submissions that Parry and Gourlay «did not take steps to correct Mr Winehouse's obvious impression» that items «belonged to and were being sold by the estate».

The trial phase concludes on Friday before Sarah Clarke KC, sitting as a deputy High Court judge. It will resume in January. Amy Winehouse died in July 2011 at the age of 27 from alcohol poisoning.

Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).