Celebrity gangster enjoyed ‘wicked life’ before shooting himself in head, inquest hears

Celebrity gangster Dave Courtney said he enjoyed a ‘wicked and superb’ before shooting himself in the head at his southeast London home.

Courtney, 64, had been struggling with pain from arthritis before killing himself on October 22, 2023, an inquest heard on Thursday.

His former wife Jenny Bean and his daughter Courtney were at at Southwark Coroners’ Court to hear harrowing evidence of the level of pain he was suffering.

The gangster-turned-actor recorded a series of videos saying goodbye, including a final clip at 1.11am on the day he died, saying ‘I can’t do this no more … I’m hurting.’

Detective Sergeant James Robinson told the court his investigation had concluded that Courtney had taken his own life and had ruled out the involvement of a third party.

The officer, describing the emergency call made by Courtney’s friend Brendan McGirr, told the court he said: ‘I just found my friend dead with a gunshot wound to the head.’

He described the gun as a green 9mm Glock.

The detective also read a series of messages on Courtney’s phone describing his excruciating pain and expressing his determination to take his own life.

In one, he said: ‘I’m disguising a lot of pain. ‘I can’t get up and down the stairs.’

He added that he had had a ‘wicked life… absolutely superb’ and didn’t want to just waste away in agony.

He said: ‘I don’t want to go waste having a wicked life like I’ve had, absolutely superb.’

In another he says he hopes his friends and loved ones understood and apologises.

Senior Coroner Dr Julian Morris recorded a verdict of suicide.
He told the court that: ‘His past medical history has revealed he had suffered arthritis and other conditions.

‘[Paramedics] found Dave with a gun shout wound to the head The met police undertook an investigation… Dave had been found by his friend.’

He said that, given the evidence of videos of Courtney saying he intended to kill himself, and police ruling out third party involvement, he would record a verdict of suicide.

A previous hearing was told he made a failed attempt to kill himself three months earlier.

Courtney had filmed eight videos on his mobile phone hours before his death, making clear his intentions and saying goodbye to relatives including his son, daughter, and ex-wife.

Police also recovered a ‘goodbye’ message filmed in July.

Detective Superintendent Robinson told the court previously: ‘It is my understanding that there was a failed suicide attempt from July.

‘In that he details a cancer diagnosis and details he was in severe pain with arthritis.’

Mr Courtney, a Bermondsey-born gangster, claimed to have been shot, stabbed and had his nose almost bitten off in brushes with his rivals.

He is said to have been the inspiration for Vinnie Jones’ character ‘Big Chris’ in the film ‘Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.’

In 2000, an Old Bailey jury cleared him of being involved in a plot to plant cocaine on an innocent woman.

He was found dead in the early hours of the morning at his Plumstead home, dubbed Camelot Castle.

Murals of knights were daubed on the walls outside, with the inside decorated in the style of King Arthur’s legendary court.

Opening the inquest the coroner said: ‘Police were called on Sunday, October 22, at approximately 11.26 am to… Mr Courtney’s home.

‘The police were called by a friend who had found Mr Courtney with a gunshot wound.’

Mr Courtney had seemed ‘happy and chirpy’ on October 21 after watching his team Charlton beat Reading 4-0 at the Valley with two friends, the court heard.

They went to the pub before watching England lose to South Africa in the semi final of the Rugby World Cup at Mr Courtney’s home.

‘Detectives attended the scene, and the initial thoughts were not suspicious but unexplained and to be investigated’, the coroner said.

‘The primary concern was although they recovered a firearm, they have not recovered the casing.’

Police searching the house after the death found Courtney had collected up to 70 firearms which had been decommissioned or fired blanks only during his career in film and television.

Courtney’s neighbour of 30 years Sheila Wellcome, 70, paid tribute to the ‘legend’ she called a friend.

She told Metro: ‘Dave was one in a million. I miss him so much. I saw him the day before he died. He was in good spirits. I can’t believe he had gone.

‘He was much loved around here. Deep down he was a very kind man. We all miss Dave he really was a one off.’

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