REFORMED gangster Dave Courtney took his own life after deciding to “stop the ride”, his family said today.
The flamboyant former crime kingpin was found dead at home yesterday after shooting himself in the head.
Dave Courtney at the Retribution film premiere in Haymarket in September 2017
The SunPolice outside Courtney’s Plumstead home on Sunday[/caption]
CarltonCourtney featured in the ITV series Celebrity Villain: Real Life, in November 2001[/caption]
GettyCourtney and model Jodie Marsh at the premiere of Scooby-Doo 2 in Islington 2004[/caption]
His family said Dave, 64, had lived an “incredible” life but couldn’t cope with the “pain” of living the lifestyle he chose.
They also revealed he had struggled with cancer and arthritis in his later years and said it was time “to get off”.
A family statement given to The Sun read: “On 22nd October 2023, Dave made the decision to ‘stop the ride.’
“He had lived an incredible, colourful rock ’n’ roll life in which he touched the hearts of so many.
“The physical pain of living the lifestyle he chose, especially due to the pain of both cancer and arthritis in his later years, became too much.
“So, rather than be a burden to his family and friends, he chose to ‘stop the ride’ and take his own way out.
“In his own immortal words ‘stop the ride, I want to get off’.”
A lodger discovered the notorious hardman with a pillow over his face, which would have muffled the sound.
He was said to have put a glove on before firing a Glock 9mm pistol.
An acquaintance told The Sun the former gangster had been suffering from bowel cancer.
They said: “He could not take the pain anymore.”
The Liverpool man, who often visited Courtney’s home, said it was an eccentric address to say the least.
They added: “He had all these replica firearms and other weapons which he hired out to film companies.
“But there was a subterranean chamber under the shed in the back garden. There was a bed in there and it was a bit strange to be honest.”
Mr Courtney had claimed Brad Pitt once stayed the night at his home when he was in the UK filming gangster flick Snatch.
His death came just hours after he spent the day with friends watching Charlton Athletic thump Reading 4-0 in a League One match.
The flamboyant former crime kingpin, who wrote six books and appeared in films and documentaries, shared snaps on Facebook.
One pal said: “They stayed up until 4am drinking and went to bed. At around 11am his lodger and friend Brendan went to look in Dave’s bedroom because it was very quiet.
“He found Dave in bed with a pillow placed across his face and he had been shot in the head.
“The first impression was that he had taken his own life. But the police have to be certain and are investigating.’’
Courtney’s Plumstead home became famed locally and was nicknamed Camelot Castle due to its appearance.
Inside, huge murals showed him wearing armour and sitting astride a war horse.
Teary neighbour Sheila Wellcome, 68, told The Sun: “I saw Dave at around 8pm.
“We knew Dave was in a lot of pain from terrible arthritis. He could barely roll a cigarette.
“But he seemed in good spirits. I passed him a cigarette over the wall and he was laughing and joking.”
She said Dave owned around 12 decommissioned firearms — including handguns, shotguns and rifles.
She added: “Police used to come round and check on them occasionally. To Dave, they were just ornaments.”
Market trader pal Chris Collins, 52, laid flowers at the scene.
He said: “The world is a worse place today having lost Dave.
“He had the scariest phone book this side of the moon, let me tell you — but he was an absolute gentleman. He didn’t want to miss out on a minute of life. He was frightened of missing out.”
GettyCourtney attending the funeral of Ronnie Biggs at Golders Green Crematorium in January 2014[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
