Johnny Depp vows to appeal ‘perverse and bewildering’ libel trial judgement

Johnny Depp has vowed to appeal the “perverse and bewildering” judgement as he lost his libel trial today.

The Hollywood actor, 57, sued News Group Newspaper for libel over a story published in The Sun in 2018 which branded him a “wife-beater”.

The judgement was handed down today with Mr Justice Nicol ruling in favour of NGN.

Depp – who denied ever being violent towards his wife Amber Heard – has now published a statement through his lawyers calling the judgement “flawed”.

The statement reads: “This decision is as perverse as it is bewildering.

“Most troubling is the judge’s reliance on the testimony of Amber Heard, and corresponding disregard of the mountain of counter-evidence from police officers, medical practitioners, her own former assistant, other unchallenged witnesses and an array of documentary evidence which completely undermined the allegations, point by point.

“All of this was overlooked. The judgment is so flawed that it would be ridiculous for Mr Depp not to appeal this decision.”

In his ruling, the judge, Mr Justice Nicol, said: “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.

“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 defence.”

A spokesperson for The Sun said: “The Sun has stood up and campaigned for the victims of domestic abuse for over twenty 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.”

In a statement, Amber Heard’s US lawyer Elaine Charlson Bredehoft said: “For those of us present for the London High Court trial, this decision and judgment are not a surprise.”

The trial took place over 16 days in July and featured testimony from Depp himself as well as his ex-wife Heard.

The case rested on 14 alleged incidents of domestic abuse which lawyers for NGN argued demonstrated the article by The Sun was not libellous.

The claims included details of alleged bust-ups between the pair which were said to have occurred between 2013 and 2016.

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