Johnny Depp libel loss: From wine glass attack to being headbutted, 14 times Amber Heard claimed assault by ex
Johnny Depp has lost the libel case over an article by The Sun which had branded him a 'wife-beater'. The case was filed by the actor against News Group Newspapers, publishers of The Sun, as well as its executive editor Dan Wootton over an April 2018 article, that according to him unfairly branded him a 'wife-beater.' The article reportedly stated that Depp had been violent towards his ex-wife Amber Heard, 34, and also questioned his casting in the 'Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them' franchise.
Both Depp and Heard were called into the stand to provide evidence against each other before Judge Andrew Nicol during a three week hearing at London's High Court. Depp has always maintained that he was never violent towards Heard in any way.
Here's looking at 14 times that Heard has claimed that Depp was violent towards her. However, Judge Nicol did conclude that Depp had beaten Heard 12 out of 14 times and dismissed two allegations made by Heard in 2014 and 2015 but said he could not conclude that Heard had lied about the same.
At the start of 2013
Heard says that Depp had been totally sober until the beginning of 2013 and it was around that time that he was first allegedly violent towards her. She claimed that Depp had raised his hand at her for the first time when they were in Los Angeles. She shared that he had later cried and apologized to her for the same and told her that he sometimes turned into 'the monster' when he lost his cool. Depp however, has 'expressly denied' doing so and claimed that he had confined himself to drinking, smoking pot after having been sober for around a year.
The March 8 incident
Heard had made claims that Depp had been angry as she had decided to hang up a painting done by her ex-partner Tasya Van Ree near her bed in her LA home. This had left Depp outraged and who set the painting on fire and reportedly hit her so hard that some blood from her lip ended up on the wall. On the other hand, Depp says he decently and politely asked her to take down the painting 'as a courtesy' but she did not take it well.
June 2013 Hicksville
While the now-former couple had been in Hicksville, US, with a bunch of people which included Heard's sister Whitney and Depp's assistant Nathan Holmes, Depp had grown insanely jealous and was furious when one of her friends touched her. He had then thrown glasses at her, ripped her dress, and also damaged the cabin that they had been staying in. Depp says that he was drinking and had taken magic mushrooms as had Heard and her friends who had also done MDMA. He said that one of Heard's friends had touched her in a sexual manner and he had asked her to stop.
May 24, 2014 Plane Journey
The couple had reportedly taken a flight from Boston to LA and during the duration of the flight, Heard claims that Depp had thrown objects at her, pushed at her chair, slapped and kicked her before eventually passing out in the toilet. Depp however, claims that he had been sketching when Heard started to hurl abuses at him.
August 17, 2014, Bahamas
The pair had traveled to the Bahamas where Depp had been trying to get over his dependence on painkillers. Heard claims that he had been trying to get over other drugs as well and says that Depp had 'several manic episodes' to the extent that his private doctor had to be flown in. She alleged that Depp had slapped her, kicked her, and grabbed her hair during an attack. Depp claims that Heard had prevented a nurse from providing him treatment as he went through withdrawal.
December 17, 2014, LA
The 'Aquaman' actress claimed that Depp had been violent towards her in LA and later texted her referring to himself as a 'f***ing savage' and a 'lunatic'. Depp has denied these claims.
January 25, 2015, Tokyo, Japan
The couple had been in Tokyo, Japan, with Heard claiming that Depp had shoved and slapped her and also grabbed her hair before standing over her and yelling while she lay on the floor.
Between March 3 and 5, 2015
Depp is believed to have repeatedly assaulted his then-wife Heard after the two had allegedly argued about his use of MDMA while on a three day trip to Australia. She claims that he had stayed up all night and had taken pills and drank alcohol after which he attacked her again in the morning. The next day, Heard claims Depp pushed her into a table tennis table and tore off her nightgown. He had then smashed a telephone into the wall which led to the top of his middle finger getting severed. Heard also alleged that he had written messages to her around the house in a mixture of paint and blood from his finger which Depp admits he had done while he was in shock.
Depp says that Heard had been in a prolonged rage after an argument over a post-nuptial agreement and that he had broken his sobriety by having vodka when Heard threw a bottle at him which cut his finger.
Later March 2015, LA
Heard says that Depp had been fuming when they were in LA with her sister and started to destroy their house. She also says that he had tried to push her sister down the stairs before hitting Heard again. Depp says that Heard was the one who was enraged and as he tried to leave, she threw a Red bull can at him and punched him in the face.
August 2015, Southeast Asia
While the ex-couple were aboard the Eastern and Oriental Express in southeast Asia, Heard claims that Depp had picked a fight with her and had pushed her against a wall and grabbed her throat which led her to fear for her life.
November 26, 2015, LA
In LA, Heard alleged that Depp had ripped her shirt and had thrown her around the room. He had reportedly also thrown a wine glass and a decanter at her besides pushing her over a chair which led to her banging her head against a wall. Depp said that they had been in LA for Thanksgiving but denies the allegations.
December 15, 2015, LA
Heard made claims that Depp had thrown a decanter at her in their penthouse and then slapped her and dragged her through the apartment by her hair. As a result, he had pulled out chunks of hair from her scalp. She claims that he then followed her upstairs and pushed her onto the floor before headbutting her. According to Heard, she told him that Depp wanted to leave him after which he grabbed her and said 'I f****** will kill you - I'll f****** kill you, you hear me?' Depp says that Heard had been the one who got violent and falsely claimed that the blonde hair on the floor was hers.
April 21, 2016, Birthday Party in LA
Heard says that Depp had come to her birthday party in LA very drunk and high on drugs. After their guests left, the couple had an argument where she claims that Depp had hurled a bottle of champagne at her and shoved her to the floor many times before leaving her a note saying 'Happy f***ing Birthday'.
Depp claims that Heard was the one drinking heavily and he had arrived late after having a meeting with his new business manager and accountants. He alleges that Heard had been the one to attack him while he sat reading in bed and had punched him in the face four times. He claims that the following day, Heard or one of her friends had taken a dump on Heard and Depp's bed and that Heard had later told the building manager that it was only a prank.
May 21, 2016, LA
Depp had reportedly arrived at the couple's LA apartment while he was allegedly drunk and high while Heard was there with some friends. Heard said that Depp grew outraged and threw her phone at her which hit her in the eye before smashing everything that he could. Depp says that he had gone into their apartment with two security guards in order to collect his belongings after Heard and her sister tried to contact him. The two guards entered the room when they heard his ex wife shouting and saw her repeatedly screaming 'stop hitting me, Johnny' even though he was 20 feet away, Depp claims. He added how two police officers who had been called post the incident saw no injuries or bruising or swelling.