Overview
- A High Court costs judgment handed down Wednesday requires Mitch Winehouse to make interim payments of £569,330 to Naomi Parry and £394,521 to Catriona Gourlay within two weeks.
- Deputy High Court Judge Sarah Clarke dismissed his underlying claim in April, finding he had known about the intended sales and that the case he brought was legally weak.
- The judge found Mr Winehouse pursued the claim aggressively, made serious unfounded allegations that harmed the women’s reputations and health, and therefore ordered their legal costs to be paid on an indemnity basis.
- Court documents record estimated legal bills of about £715,361 for Parry and £487,132 for Gourlay, while Mr Winehouse incurred at least £950,000 in his own legal costs during the failed litigation.
- Beyond the money, the judgment highlights wider issues about proving ownership of personal items, the duties of estate administrators and the financial and reputational risks of public, high-cost litigation.