An eccentric underworld gangster who lived in a sprawling London mansion died penniless, court documents have revealed.
David Courtney, 64, shot himself with a Glock 9mm after a difficult battle with crippling arthritis.
The charismatic Kray Twins associate, whose gangland exploits helped inspire the ‘Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’ flick, confessed to living a ‘wicked’ and ‘superb’ life in a suicide message sent before his death in 2023.
But despite gaining notoriety for his huge Plumstead home – dubbed ‘Camelot’ by the King Arthur obsessive – his final estate was valued at £0.
A Letter of Administration filed at London’s High Court read: ‘The application has stated that the gross value of the estate in the UK amounts to £0.’
Courtney left behind his former wife Jenny Bean and two daughters.
His family were among those at Southwark Coroners’ Court for the 2023 inquest following his death.
The gangster-turned-actor recorded a series of videos saying goodbye.
They included a final clip at 1.11am on the day he died saying: ‘I can’t do this no more … I’m hurting.’
A detective also read a series of messages on Courtney’s phone describing his pain and expressing his desire 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.’
Courtney, born in Bermondsey, an area known for its old-school crime connections, worked as an underworld ‘minder’ and debt collector.
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But fans have always argued his charm, rather than his fists, were what carried him into the world of celebrity.
He became a TV and film regular, splashing his cash on a vast South London estate inspired by the King’s Arthur’s knights of the Round Table.
Pictures of knights adorned the walls and a there was a painting of Courtney himself mocked up in regal attire.
There was also a ‘Sword in the Stone’ sculpture among dozens of guns, most blank firing replicas, that were mounted on the walls.
Parading through the car park, decked out with Rolls Royce motors and Jaguars over the years, was a pet peacock which constantly escaped to roam the neighbourhood.
A last photo of Courtney captured him at The Valley watching his side Charlton Athletic playing Reading.
But just hours later he was found dead at his home.
After his death, his family said he had lived an ‘incredible’ life.
Courtney left the life of crime to become a TV actor and author.
He wrote six books and appeared in documentaries and films including The Dead Sleep Easy.
A family statement shared after Courtney’s suicide said: ‘He lived an incredible, colourful rock ’n’ roll life in which he touched the hearts of so many.’
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