Dave Courtney lived in a grand, white mansion decked out with fake swords, guns and suits of armour which he called Camelot Castle.
A former London gangster-turned-author Courtney was found dead at his home in Chestnut Rise, south east London, on Sunday (October 22).
His death was announced in a post on his Instagram account, which read: “It is with deep sadness we announce the passing of Dave Courtney at the age of 64.
“Dave tragically took his own life in the early hours of Sunday 22nd October, with a firearm at his Camelot Castle home in Plumstead.”
His death came as a shock to those who saw him before news of his death emerged, with Steve Sutherland, interim commercial manager at Charlton Athletic FC, writing on X: “The news that #DaveCourtney took his own life early this morning has shocked all of us @CAFCofficial who spent time with him yesterday when Dave was a guest of match sponsors Billingham Communications. He was on good form so it’s unfathomable what happened a just few hours later”.
The man who is said to have inspired Vinnie Jones’ character in Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels was well known in the leafy hilly suburb as was the mansion he called home.
A painting of Courtney complete with halo and angel wings hangs in his front room which the former gangster claimed was painted in part with his own blood.
The house itself used to be a school, the exterior boasts gold lions, Union Jacks, a statue of a sniper peering over a wall and a replica of King Arthur’s Sword in the Stone.
A fake blue plaque states: “David J Courtney born 17.2.1959 amusing raconteur, prolific author and infamous f***er resides here”.
Courtney, a staunch royalist who queued for 13 hours to see Queen Elizabeth II’s lying in state, has a portrait of the late Queen outside his front door.
On one side of the property is a mural showing Courtney on a throne in a line up of “friends”, including Lenny McLean, Freddie Foreman, the Krays, Howard Marx, Al Capone and Al Pacino
Guns, knives, and swords cover the walls in the front room at Courtney’s home, which he shared with best friend, Brendan, who owns a film props company, allowing him to possess fake weapons.
The walls of the dining room are filled with books on shelves dotted with old medals, military helmets, boxing gloves and a bust of Beethoven.
A games room is dominated by a pool table and pictures of Courtney with his family and former accomplices. The garden, meanwhile, includes a BBQ area, jacuzzi and nightclub complete with lounge rooms and a “dungeon”-themed studio.
Courtney swapped his life of crime and turned his hand to writing, becoming an author who published six books and also starred in a film called Hell To Pay.
He also carried out charity work for children with autism and told MyLondon he had travelled to war-torn Ukraine to deliver food and medical supplies.
Recalling his visits, he told the publication: “They [the Ukrainian refugees] were coming across in droves. The look on their faces made me want to cry.
“They are leaving sons and husbands behind. Their house blown up. It made me want to go back. And I did.”
It was a far cry from his gangster past, as Courtney admitted, saying: “The myth is no longer the man.”
In now poignant words, Courtney told MyLondon in October last year: “If I was to die tomorrow I would die smiling. I’ve got beautiful friends. Had far too many beautiful ladies in my life. Getting here was hard but now its easy. It’s nice to be nice.”
