Dave Courtney

{{Infobox person

| name = Dave Courtney

| image = Dave Courtney 2019.png

| caption = Dave Courtney in 2019

| birth_name = David John Courtney

| birth_date = {{birth date|1959|2|17|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Forest Hill, London, England

| death_date = {{death date and age|2023|10|22|1959|2|17|df=yes}}

| death_place = Plumstead, London, England

| occupation = Author, actor

| website = {{url|davecourtney.com}}

}}

David John Courtney{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6Yrxvg420uIC&q=%22david+john+courtney%22&pg=PA89|title=The Ride's Back on|access-date =19 August 2015|isbn=978-0-7535-0860-2|last1=Courtney|first1=Dave|date=4 September 2003|publisher=Penguin Random House }} (17 February 1959 – 22 October 2023) was an English self-proclaimed gangster{{cite web|url=http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Reformed-gangster-Dave-Courtney-escapes-jail/article-629116-detail/article.html|title=Dave Courtney reformed gangster avoids jail possessing single bullet|work=Bristol Post|access-date=19 August 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507114938/http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Reformed-gangster-Dave-Courtney-escapes-jail/article-629116-detail/article.html|archive-date=7 May 2009}} who became both an author{{cite web|url=http://www.metro.co.uk/news/805674-author-dave-courtneys-guns-were-his-wife-s|title=Author Dave Courtney's guns 'were his wife's'|author=metrowebukmetro|work=Metro|date=10 December 2009|access-date=19 August 2015}} and an actor.{{cite web|url=http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/whatson/dave-courtney-interview-feature-1268.html|title=Dave Courtney Interview|work=ViewLondon|access-date=19 August 2015}}

Early life

Courtney was born in Forest Hill, London.{{cite news |last1=Loffhagen |first1=Emma |date=25 October 2023 |title=The turbulent life of Dave Courtney, the East End gangster-turned-film star |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/dave-courtney-dead-gangster-film-star-east-end-london-b1115357.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240111235828/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/dave-courtney-dead-gangster-film-star-east-end-london-b1115357.html |archive-date=2024-01-11 |access-date=1 November 2023 |work=Evening Standard}} He went to Adamsrill primary school in Sydenham, South East London.

Courtney often bragged about supposed connections with gangsters such as Reggie Kray and Lenny McLean, although he was nine years old when Kray was imprisoned. He also claimed to have been involved in debt-collecting, minding clubs, assault, contraband, and murder.{{cite web |title=BBC News – UK – Reggie Kray dies |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/951580.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240111232021/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/951580.stm |archive-date=2024-01-11 |access-date=19 August 2015 |work=bbc.co.uk}} He spent time in Belmarsh Prison as a high-security prisoner, as described by ex-prison guard Jim Dawkins in his book The Loose Screw.{{cite book|title=The Loose Screw|author=Jim Dawkins|author2=Dave Courtney|others=Foreword by Charles Bronson|isbn=978-1-904444-61-9|publisher=Apex|year=2007}}

Courtney claimed to have been shot, stabbed, had his nose bitten off, and stated that he has had to kill to stay alive. He also said that a car crash he was involved in on the M20 was an attempt on his life by "someone who had a grudge against him".{{cite web|url=http://www.thekrays.co.uk/gangnews14.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021220152407/http://www.thekrays.co.uk/gangnews14.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 December 2002|title=Gangster News|work=thekrays.co.uk|access-date=19 August 2015}}

His claims of criminal activity have come under scrutiny but the veracity of many never has been proven.{{cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/dave-courtney-dead-gangster-film-star-east-end-london-b1115357.html|title=The turbulent life of Dave Courtney, the East End gangster-turned-film star|newspaper= Evening Standard|date=23 October 2023}}

Author

Courtney published six books: Stop the Ride I Want to Get Off, Raving Lunacy, Dodgy Dave's Little Black Book, The Ride's Back On, F**k the Ride, and Heroes & Villains. In his book F**k the Ride, Courtney claimed to have been found not guilty in 19 separate trials.{{cn|date=November 2023}}

=Published works=

1999: Stop the Ride I Want to Get Off{{Cite book |title=Stop the Ride I Want to Get Off |last=Courtney |first=Dave |publisher=Virgin Publishing |year=1999 |isbn=0-7535-0462-6 |ref=DC, Stop The Ride}}
2000: Raving Lunacy{{Cite book |title=Raving Lunacy |last=Courtney |first=Dave |publisher=Virgin Publishing |year=2000 |isbn=0-7535-0504-5 |ref=DC, Raving Lunacy}}
2001: Dodgy Dave's Little Black Book{{Cite book |title=Dodgy Dave's Little Black Book |last=Courtney |first=Dave |publisher=Virgin Books |year=2001 |isbn=0-7535-0685-8 |ref=DC, Little Black Book}}
2003: The Ride's Back On{{Cite book |title=The Ride's Back On |last=Courtney |first=Dave |publisher=Virgin Books |year=2003 |isbn=0-7535-0860-5 |ref=DC, The Ride's Back On}}
2005: F**k the Ride{{Cite book |title=F**k the Ride |last=Courtney |first=Dave |publisher=Virgin Books |year=2005 |isbn=1-85227-227-9 |ref=DC, F**k the Ride}}
2006: Heroes & Villains{{Cite book |title=Heroes & Villains |last=Courtney |first=Dave |ref=DC, Heroes & Villains |publisher=Virgin Books |year=2006 |isbn=0-7535-1177-0}}
2008: The British Crime and Prison Quiz Book (with Jim Dawkins){{Cite book |title=The British Crime and Prison Quiz Book |last1=Dawkins |first1=Jim |last2=Courtney |first2=Dave |others=Foreword by Charles Bronson |publisher=Apex Publications |isbn=978-1-906358-01-3 |year=2008 |ref=Crime and Prison Quiz Book}}

Acting

Largely making a living from television documentaries{{cite web|url=http://www.britmovie.co.uk/forums/looking-video-dvd-tv/86382-dave-courtney.html |title=Brit Movie|website= Britmovie.co.uk}}{{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927054526/http://www.britmovie.co.uk/forums/looking-video-dvd-tv/86382-dave-courtney.html |date=27 September 2012 }} and personal appearances, Courtney ran his own website, was involved in charity work and worked on the films Six Bend Trap and Clubbing to Death alongside Craig Charles and Huey Morgan. Courtney was featured in the 2008 film The Dead Sleep Easy, filmed on location in Mexico.{{citation needed|date=August 2017}}

He also starred in and produced his own film, Hell to Pay (2005), and took on the leading role of Mad Dave opposite Manish Patel{{Cite web |date=2003-04-16 |title=Gangster flick's Southall of fame |url=https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/5171627.gangster-flicks-southall-of-fame/ |access-date=2023-10-25 |website=Bucks Free Press |language=en}} in the low-budget British film Triads, Yardies and Onion Bhajees (2003).

Courtney worked with Director Liam Galvin on two DVDs – Dave Courtney's Dodgy DVD and Dave Courtney Even Dodgier – both released by Gangster Videos. He collaborated again with Liam Galvin on the 2010 film Killer Bitch and the 2016 film Mob Handed.

Courtney appeared in the film Mother's Child (2020), as club owner Mr Townsend alongside Alex Reid.{{cn|date=November 2023}} He made his final cinematic appearance in 2022, portraying John Saviour in Legacy.{{Citation |title=Legacy (2022) - IMDb |url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt16549134/fullcredits |access-date=2024-01-12}}

= Selected filmography =

1990: The Krays – Bill
1998: One in Something – Man in Lift
2000: Dave Courtney's Underworld – Himself
2003: Triads, Yardies and Onion Bhajees – Mad Dave
2004: The Baby Juice Express – Baxter
2005: Hell to Pay – Dave Malone
2006: Six Bend Trap – Gordy Metcalf
2007: The Dead Sleep Easy – Tlaloc
2008: Clubbing to Death – Harry Dench
2010: Killer Bitch – Dave Courtney
2011: Rule Britannia – Himself (Episode: "Fraud"){{cite AV media |url=http://www.vice.com/rule-britannia/fraud-part-1-of-3 |title=Rule Britannia: Fraud |date=2011 |website=Vice |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015120230/http://www.vice.com/rule-britannia/fraud-part-1-of-3 |archive-date=October 15, 2014}}
2014: Full English Breakfast – Dave Bishop
2016: Gangsters Gamblers Geezers – Terry
2016: Mob Handed – The Tank Killer

Legal issues

In June 2004, Courtney was cleared of beating his girlfriend Jennifer Lucrea Pinto during a row over her lesbian lover.{{Cite web |date=13 April 2012 |title=Ex-gangster cleared of attacking wife |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/ex-gangster-cleared-of-attacking-wife-6942274.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240112001751/https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/exgangster-cleared-of-attacking-wife-6942274.html |archive-date=2024-01-12}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bernardomahoney.com/rrmurders/documents/jen.shtml|title=Statement of JENNIFER LUCREA PINTO|work=bernardomahoney.com|access-date=19 August 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923183828/http://www.bernardomahoney.com/rrmurders/documents/jen.shtml|archive-date=23 September 2015}}

In January 2009 he was given an 18-month conditional discharge at Bristol Crown Court, on a charge of possessing live ammunition without a firearms certificate. His defence of not knowing that the single live pistol round was live rather than a stage prop prompted Judge Ticehurst to comment, "It perhaps undermines your street credibility and your stage performance that you cannot distinguish between a real round and a fake round. But perhaps that's not for me to say."{{cite news|title=Reformed gangster Dave Courtney escapes jail|url=http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Reformed-gangster-Dave-Courtney-escapes-jail/article-629116-detail/article.html|date=20 January 2009|journal=Bristol Evening Post|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507114938/http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Reformed-gangster-Dave-Courtney-escapes-jail/article-629116-detail/article.html|archive-date=7 May 2009}}

In May 2009, Courtney filed for bankruptcy, reportedly owing £400,000 to creditors, including taxes of £250,000.

On 29 July 2009, he was arrested and charged with possession of a prohibited weapon, specifically a Brocock Air Cartridge pistol, and possession of a firearm whilst being a prohibited person.{{Cite news |date=9 December 2009 |title=Author and film-maker denies illegal weapons charges |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8403999.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240112002224/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8403999.stm |archive-date=2024-01-12 |journal=BBC Online}} The Brocock pistol, which fired projectiles using pre-charged gas cartridges, was previously a legal air-weapon in the UK but concerns over the "ease" with which these types of gun could be converted into real firearms led to them being banned. After Courtney spending time on remand in HMP Belmarsh, a jury at the Old Bailey took two hours to find him not guilty on all charges on 10 December 2009.{{cite news |date=10 December 2009 |title=Author cleared of weapons charges |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8406829.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240112002159/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8406829.stm |archive-date=2024-01-12 |journal=BBC.co.uk}}

Personal life

Courtney often referred to himself as Dave Courtney OBE, the suffix standing for One Big Ego. His house in Plumstead, called Camelot Castle, was decorated with Union Jack flags and the cross of St George, a painted depiction of himself as a knight and a large knuckle duster, alongside a band of supporting knights that included Lenny McLean, the Kray twins, Joey Pyle, Al Capone, John Gotti, Ronnie Biggs, Freddie Foreman, Roy Shaw, Howard Marks and Charlie Richardson.{{Cite web |last=Singh |first=Rachael |date=2009-05-21 |title=Tax debt catches up with gangster |url=http://www.accountancyage.com/accountancyage/news/2242635/tax-debt-catches-gangster-4677738 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090522020046/http://www.accountancyage.com/accountancyage/news/2242635/tax-debt-catches-gangster-4677738 |archive-date=2009-05-22 |website=Accountancy Age}}

Death

On 22 October 2023, Courtney was found dead at his home Chestnut Rise, Plumstead, having shot himself. He was 64.{{cite web|url=https://news.sky.com/story/dave-courtney-former-gangster-who-became-actor-and-author-dies-aged-64-12990595|title=Dave Courtney: Former gangster who became actor and author dies aged 64|work=Sky News|accessdate=22 October 2023|date=22 October 2023}}{{Cite news |date=2023-10-23 |title=Dave Courtney: Former London gangster turned actor dies aged 64 |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-67191667 |access-date=2023-10-24}}