Johnny Depp loses libel case against UK newspaper over ‘wife beater’ article
Johnny Depp lost his libel case against the Sun newspaper over an article that called him a “wife beater”.
The famed actor sued the paper after it alleged he assaulted his ex-wife Amber Heard, claimss Depp has denied . However, the Sun said the article was accurate.
After a trial that lasted 16 days in July, Judge Justice Nicol said the Sun had proved what was in the article to be “substantially true”.
He found 12 of the 14 alleged incidents of domestic violence had occurred.
“I accept her evidence of the nature of the assaults he committed against her. They must have been terrifying,” the judge said.
But Depp’s lawyer said the Hollywood actor intends to appeal.
Jenny Afia of Schillings law firm, who represented Depp, said: “This decision is as perverse as it is bewildering. The judgement is so flawed that it would be ridiculous for Mr Depp not to appeal this decision.”
According to the BBC, a spokesperson for the Sun said it had stood up for domestic abuse victims for decades, and thanked Heard for “her courage in giving evidence to the court”.
Depp is also suing Heard in the US in a separate case, over an opinion piece she wrote in the Washington Post. Depp says the article implied he was violent towards her.
