Gangster Dave Courtney 'cremated in private ceremony' as family issue statement

07 November 2023 , 14:57

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London gangster Dave Courtney was found dead at his home last month (Image: Getty Images)

London gangster Dave Courtney was cremated today in a private ceremony, his family have said.

Dave was found dead at his home in Plumstead, southeast London late last month, just one day after watching his beloved Charlton Athletic play at The Valley. He was 64 years old.

A statement on behalf of the family read: "As per Dave's final wishes, he was cremated at 1100 Tuesday 7th November in a private ceremony. Dave's family have been touched by the outpouring of love and support since his passing and are so thankful for everyone who has made contact."

The gangster, who is said to have inspired Vinnie Jones's character Big Chris in the 1998 classic Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, was born in Bermondsey in February 1959. He was infamous in London as a debt collector and claimed to have been shot, stabbed and had his nose almost bitten off. In later years he appeared in crime documentaries and films such as Clubbing to Death, and had six books published. He became a well-known public figure and would often suffix his name with the initials OBE, which he said stood for 'One Big Ego'.

A statement on behalf of the family said they have been 'touched by the outpouring of love and support' since his death

His management said he took his own life in the early hours of Sunday 22 October 2023 at his home, which was called Camelot Castle. A video, shared on Dave Courtney's official Facebook page, came with the message: "The video clearly shows Dave had not taken the decision to take his own life lightly, and had gone into thorough planning and preparation to ensure as little pain as possible for his loved ones in the aftermath of his death." On hearing of his death, author and friend Rocky Troiani said: "Dave had a heart of pure gold and would help anyone that genuinely needed it."

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The last ever photos of him surfaced after his death, showing Courtney spending a day out at the football to watch Charlton Athletic FC, in what he described as a "cool, cool day". The pictures show a grinning Courtney enjoying hospitality treatment in The Valley stadium.

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Benedict Tetzlaff-Deas