Hollywood actor Johnny Depp has lost his libel action against The Sun and News Group Newspapers (NGN) after The Sun described him as a “wife beater” in an article.
Judge Mr Justice Nicol said in his ruling: “The defendants 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.”
The trial, which lasted for 16 days in July, was held at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. Depp had sued NGN as publisher of The Sun over an article run by its executive editor, Dan Wootton, which originally carried the headline: “Gone Potty: How can JK Rowling be ‘genuinely happy’ casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?”
The Sun held the burden of proof to demonstrate the truthfulness of its story, and its claims that Depp was “controlling and verbally and physically abusive towards [ex-wife Amber] Heard, particularly when he was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs” between early 2013 and May 2016, when the couple split. During the trial, Depp faced questions about his celebrity lifestyle and his relationships with other Hollywood figures including Sir Elton John and Keith Richards.
“For those of us present for the London high court trial, this decision and judgment are not a surprise,” said Elaine Charlson Bredehoft, the lawyer representing Heard in the US. “Very soon, we will be presenting even more voluminous evidence in the US. We are committed to obtaining justice for Amber Heard in the US court and defending Ms Heard’s right to free speech.”
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A spokesperson for NGN said: “The Sun has stood up and campaigned for the victims of domestic abuse for over 20 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.”
