Johnny Depp Loses Libel Case against 'The Sun' over Claims He Was Abusive with Ex Amber Heard

On Monday, November 2, 2020, a judge ruled against actor Johnny Depp in his case against the publication, “The Sun.” The judge ruled that the star was, indeed, a wife beater.

This week, “The Sun” reported how it won a libel case which was brought against them by “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor, Johnny Depp. A London High Court ruled that Depp was rightfully labeled a "wife-beater" for his physical attacks on his ex-wife, Amber Heard.

The ruling was made in a 129-page document. The case was against "The Sun’s" publisher, News Group Newspapers (NGN), and the executive editor, Dan Wootton, for an article that claimed Depp was an abuser.

According to the publication, the “Edward Scissorhands” star beat Heard, 34, 12 times when they were still married. “The Sun” hailed the ruling as a victory for the freedom of the press, noting via a spokesperson:

"The Sun has stood up and campaigned for the victims of domestic abuse for over twenty years.”

The ruling was made by Justice Nicol who threw out the actor’s defamation case. The judge made his ruling after deciding that the publication’s story was accurate, and it was also backed up by Heard.

Nicol noted how Depp’s feelings towards his ex-wife were summed up in a text message where he shared that he had "no mercy" for her. The former couple was together for only three years.

The judge also noted how the “A Nightmare on Elm Street” star actually battered Heard 12 out of 14 times. The abuse allegedly started in 2013 when Depp slapped her when she commented about one of his tattoos.

Heard made the allegations against him in 2014 and 2015, but those were dismissed by the judge. Nicol revealed that he couldn’t conclude whether she had been dishonest about those claims or not.

The judge also stated how he found that Depp abused Heard throughout the course of their relationship. The abuse was allegedly brought on by a different persona that the “21 Jump Street” actor undertook when he binged on drugs and alcohol.

Apparently, the “Aquaman” actress feared for her life when her ex-husband went into his violent rampages. She was allegedly pushed to the ground, beaten repeatedly, and choked by the actor, among other things.

For his defense, Depp, 57, claimed Heard’s allegations were a hoax. In response, he accused his ex-wife of attacking him while giving his own evidence at the High Court for over 20 hours.

One of the very first times that Heard went to court against Depp was in May 2016, when she was just 30-years-old.

The “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” star also claimed Heard defecated in their marital bed after a fight. He also alleged that she was a gold-digger, but the judge didn’t agree with his characterization of the actress.

Nicol noted how “The Sun’s” report had been quite accurate while dismissing Depp’s case. The libel trial lasted for 16 days and it occurred in July 2020, according to the publication.

Depp’s lawyers said it was likely that the star would appeal against the judge’s ruling. Domestic violence organizations have since hailed the ruling a victory and welcomed the judge’s decision.

One of the very first times that Heard went to court against Depp was in May 2016, when she was just 30-years-old. At the time, she went to a Los Angeles court trying to get a restraining order against the “Alice in Wonderland” actor who was still her husband.

Photographs taken of the actress showed that she had a mark on her cheek and also had facial bruising. She managed to get the restraining order and soon afterward their marriage ended.