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Does Depp's libel loss vindicate Amber Heard? Judgment paints her as domestic abuse victim, not a gold-digger

The judge also accepted Heard's evidence against Depp accusing her of being the abuser, which she claimed 'had a negative effect on her career as an actor and activist'

Johnny Depp has lost his high-profile libel action against The Sun after the British newspaper branded him a "wife-beater," but does the verdict vindicate his ex, Amber Heard? The Royal Courts of Justice denied compensation claimed by the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' star at the conclusion of one of the most sensational libel trials of the decade. “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," Justice Nicol said in his 128-page ruling, adding that he "found that the great majority of alleged assaults of Ms. Heard by Mr. Depp have been proved to the civil standard.”

The judge said he also accepted Heard's evidence against Depp accusing her of being the abuser, which she claimed “had a negative effect on her career as an actor and activist."

“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 defense," Justice Nicol ruled, saying he did not accept Depp's characterization of his ex-wife as a gold digger. “I recognize that there were other elements to the divorce settlement as well, but her donation of … $7m to charity is hardly the act one would expect of a gold-digger," he noted.

Finally, the judge said that in 12 out of the 14 incidents of assault reported by Heard, he found the allegations were proved, The Guardian reported. “I do not regard [the Sun’s] inability to make good these allegations [in the other two incidents] as of importance in determining whether they have established the substantial truth of the words that they published," Justice Nicol added.

While Depp is set to lose millions of British pounds in legal fees, he is still fighting a $50 million lawsuit against Heard back in the US. However, the court decision in London appears to have vindicated the 'Aquaman' actress and painted her as a "victim of domestic abuse."

The Sun issued a statement almost immediately after the ruling, noting how it had always "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," the statement added.

Meanwhile, Elaine Charlson Bredehoft, the lawyer representing Heard in her upcoming defamation case on similar grounds in the US, said the decision and judgment weren't a "surprise." “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," she added.

NGN lawyer Sasha Wass declared in court that there was “no doubt that Mr. Depp regularly and systematically abused his wife,” adding, “The characterization that he is a wife beater is entirely truthful.”

According to media lawyer Amber Melville-Brown, Depp had pursued the case in the UK so he could “wave a British verdict, with all the gravitas it has, in the face of the American courts." She told The Sun: “It remains to be seen whether this will do any good for his reputation, which has been utterly demolished in the same way he tried to utterly demolish Amber’s. Neither of them will come out of this smelling of roses.”

But while quite a few legal experts celebrated Justice Nicol's decision, netizens did not seem to agree at all. Social media users rallied behind Depp claiming he's innocent, with one saying the judgment was "why male victims don't even bother speaking up."

"This is why male victims don't even bother speaking up. Johnny Depp has hours of tapes of Amber Heard abusing him, more than 40 witnesses, medical and police records and security camera footage, yet the judge sided with her because she is a woman. #JusticeForJohnnyDepp," one tweeted.

"Amber Heard literally lied in court. So did her sister. They both changed their stories when there was photographic evidence to prove their version event were wrong and Johnny loses this trial? How the fuck is this fair? #JusticeForJohnnyDepp," another added.

"Evidence that judge discarded: police testimony, nurses' notes, all of Johnny Depp's witnesses, audio tape where Amber Heard admits to multiple assaults and starting physical fights. Evidence that the judge took into account: Amber's word. Texts. #JusticeForJohnnyDepp," a third chimed in.

"The judge said it's not relevant enough whether Amber Heard assaulted Johnny Depp. This is disgusting & disheartening to any victim of domestic violence. #JusticeForJohnnyDepp," a fourth wrote.