Inside ex-gangster’s sprawling ‘castle’ complete with suits of armour – and a bust of his own head

THIS is what the inside of an ex-gangster's sprawling castle looks like - complete with suits of armour and a bust of his own head.

Dave Courtney, 63, is a self-proclaimed former gangster, who is said to have swapped his life of crime to become a recognised author and celebrity.

He lives in on a quiet South East London street, but his home is far from the norm.

Dubbed Camelot Castle, the former-school turned mansion is spectacular on the outside - it's white and decorated with gold lions and Union Jacks.

There is also a statue of a sniper peering over the wall, a replica of King Arthur's Sword in the Stone and a fake blue plaque reads: "David J Courtney born 17.2.1959 amusing raconteur, prolific author and infamous f***er resides here."

Dave claims to have links to the Kray twins and be the inspiration for Vinnie Jones' character in Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels.

And, as you walk around the side of his home, you see the famous mural which shows Dave sat on a throne in the form of his symbolic knuckle duster with his "friends" around him.

The mural shows Lenny McLean, Freddie Foreman, the Krays, Howard Marks, Al Capone, and Al Pacino.

It has fallen into disrepair but Dave says he plans to have a new one put up next year in the theme of the Last Supper.

As you approach the front door, you see a picture of the late Queen.

Dave is a royalist and said he queued for 13 hours with his 90-year-old mum for Her Majesty's lying-in-state.

As he showed  around Camelot Castle, he picked up a call from his mum.

He told them: “Every good gangster loves his mum."

And, this good gangster also loves himself, too.

In the front room of the sprawling castle hangs a painting of Dave with a halo and angel wings.

The former gangsta says the painter actually filled half a pot of paint with his blood so that "the skin is Dave Courtney's DNA".

The room is also decorated with guns, knives and swords.

But, they're not the real deal.

Dave lives with his best friend Brendan, who owns a film company, which is how he gets his hands on the fake weapons.

The dining room is home to shelfs full of books, as well as a range of old medals, military helmets, boxing gloves, and a bust of Beethoven.

'SCARY'

Dave, who calls himself Dave Courtney OBE - One Big Ego, shows off one of his old medals, an OBE from 1919.

He said: "It states in the law books it becomes an offence to call yourself an OBE if you don’t own one. But I do own one.

"My own friends ask what was the Queen like.

"I have got this ego. I can’t deny it. I’m an entertainer. It's more important to me than anything criminal."

The next room has a pool table in the centre, and photos of Dave and his family.

There are also shots of "all the boys who I was active in the criminal scene with" scattered over the walls.

When talking about his gangster past, Dave says his phone book is "scary".

But, he said when it comes to the stories he's said he's been involved with, "not all of it is true".

Dave said: "I was never as bad as it was portrayed.

"I was good friends with Krays. I had a thousand doormen working for me at one time - an army.

"I took credit and blame for what they did. It's nothing to do with you but I was in charge."

'DUNGEON'

The kitchen is the most standard part of the home - it has no memorabilia, and is purely functional.

But it leads to the outdoor area where you'll find a BBQ and a jacuzzi.

Beyond that is a small nightclub, which doubles as a cinema, and the "dungeon" where Dave claims adult films are made and that underwear brands use for modelling.

Dave says he is "very tight" with the Plumstead community and enjoys giving back as much as he can.

He said: "The myth is no longer the man."

Dave says he now does charity work for children with autism and ADHD, and has driven to Ukraine several times to bring medical supplies and food to the border.

He recalls: ";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."

Davie, who is in the middle of writing his 10th book, says he's proud of how far he's come.

He said: "I'm a lucky man.

"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."