02-11-20, 13:30
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re: ohnny Depp & Amber Heard Back in Court
Johnny Depp Loses Libel Battle After Explosive Trial Over 'Wife-Beater' Claims
Hollywood actor Johnny Depp has lost his libel battle against the publishers of The Sun over an article which branded him a 'wife-beater'. Depp vehemently denied claims he'd been violent towards his ex-wife Amber Heard during their relationship
Daily Mirror UK, 2 NOV 2020.
Johnny Depp has lost his libel battle against News Group Newspapers over an article published in The Sun which branded him a "wife beater".
The actor - who denied ever being violent towards his wife Amber Heard - sued for libel over the story, which was published in 2018, and the trial took place at London's High Court over the summer.
The judgement was handed down today.
In his ruling, the judge, Mr Justice Nicol, said: "The claimant [Depp] has not succeeded in his action for libel...
"The defendants [The Sun and News Group Newspapers] have shown that what they published in the meaning which I have held the words to bear was substantially true.
"I have reached these conclusions having examined in detail the 14 incidents on which the defendants rely as well as the overarching considerations which the claimant submitted I should take into account. In those circumstances, parliament has said that a defendant has a complete defence."
A spokesperson for The Sun said: "The Sun has stood up and campaigned for the victims of domestic abuse for over twenty years.
"Domestic abuse victims must never be silenced and we thank the Judge for his careful consideration and thank Amber Heard for her courage in giving evidence to the court."
In a statement, Amber Heard's US lawyer Elaine Charlson Bredehoft said: "For those of us present for the London High Court trial, this decision and judgment are not a surprise."
The trial took place over 16 days in July and featured testimony from Depp himself as well as his ex-wife Heard.
The case rested on 14 alleged incidents of domestic abuse which lawyers for NGN argued demonstrated the article by The Sun was not libellous.
The claims included details of alleged bust-ups between the pair which were said to have occurred between 2013 and 2016.
Depp repeatedly denied ever being violent towards Heard during their relationship and marriage, which lasted from 2015 until 2017.
In court, he claimed it was actually Heard who was the aggressor in the relationship and alleged she had actually been violent towards him.
Depp spent around 20 hours in the witness box over five days and was quizzed over his Hollywood lifestyle, booze and drugs, allegations of violence and his celebrity friendships.
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