JOHNNY Depp’s mega-star standing is “no excuse” for his “extraordinarily severe” assaults on ex Amber Heard, campaigners devoted to rescuing victims of home violence say.
Charity chiefs have spoken out after a decide dominated the Pirates of the Caribbean actor battered Ms Heard 12 times.
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Depp this morning misplaced his blockbuster libel case towards The Solar.
Mr Justice Nicol threw out Depp’s defamation case after discovering our story – which had all the time been staunchly backed by Ms Heard – was correct.
The ruling is being celebrated by campaigners serving to ladies out of abuse.
Nicki Norman, chief government of Women’s Aid, stated: “The allegations of home abuse towards Johnny Depp had been extraordinarily severe.
“Everybody who has skilled home abuse deserves to be listened to and believed.
“This additionally applies to survivors who don’t match the picture of the ‘good sufferer’ – and whatever the excessive profile of the alleged abuser.
“There isn’t any excuse for home abuse.”
The place to get assist
Ladies’s Support has this recommendation for victims and their households:
- At all times hold your cellphone close by.
- Get in contact with charities for assist, together with the Ladies’s Support stay chat helpline and providers corresponding to SupportLine.
- In case you are in peril, name 999.
- Familiarise your self with the Silent Answer, reporting abuse with out talking down the cellphone, as an alternative dialing “55”.
- At all times hold some cash on you, together with change for a pay cellphone or bus fare.
- When you suspect your associate is about to assault you, attempt to go to a lower-risk space of the home – for instance, the place there’s a manner out and entry to a phone.
- Keep away from the kitchen and storage, the place there are prone to be knives or different weapons. Keep away from rooms the place you may develop into trapped, corresponding to the toilet, or the place you could be shut into a cabinet or different small house.
In case you are a sufferer of home abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s e-mail assist service is open weekdays and weekends through the disaster – [email protected]
Ladies’s Support supplies a stay chat service obtainable. from 10am to midday.
You too can name the freephone 24-hour Nationwide Home Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
Lisa King of organisation Refuge, which helps victims of home violence, stated: “This is a crucial ruling and one which we hope sends a really highly effective message: each single survivor of home abuse ought to be listened to and ought to be heard.
“No survivor ought to ever have her voice silenced.
“A standard tactic utilized by perpetrators of home abuse is to repeatedly inform victims that nobody will consider them – and to make use of energy and management to try to silence them.
“What now we have seen right now is that energy, fame and monetary sources can’t be used to silence ladies. That may be a welcome message for survivors of home abuse around the globe.
“We stand in solidarity with Amber Heard, who has proven immense bravery in talking up and talking out.”
A spokesperson for The Solar stated: “The Solar has stood up and campaigned for the victims of home abuse for over twenty years.
“Home abuse victims must not ever be silenced and we thank the Choose for his cautious consideration and thank Amber Heard for her braveness in giving proof to the courtroom.”
Throughout his verdict this morning, the decide concluded Depp beat Ms Heard 12 out of 14 occasions – beginning in 2013 when he slapped the actress when she made a remark about his tattoo.
Over the course of their stormy marriage, the decide discovered Depp battered his spouse after flying into drug and booze-fuelled rages.
And regardless of dismissing two allegations from Ms Heard of additional incidents, he stated he could not conclude she’d lied about them.
Depp referred to as Ms Heard’s claims of violence a “hoax”.
In additional than 20 hours of proof within the witness field, the Alice in Wonderland star made a sequence of allegations about Ms Heard’s character – even claiming she’d defecated in their martial bed.
However in actuality, Ms Heard, 34, had confronted a traumatic and violent marriage to the star.
In July, the courtroom heard how Depp had sent Ms Heard texts calling her “a fat ugly w***e”.
He additionally despatched messages to Brit actor pal Paul Bettany, plotting to drown and burn her as a witch and “f**k her burnt corpse afterwards to make sure she’s dead”.
Legal professionals for Depp had argued the messages shouldn’t be taken significantly, “nevertheless darkish and indulgent the language”.
Energy, fame and monetary sources can’t be used to silence ladies.
Lisa King
However the Solar’s barrister, Sasha Wass QC, stated Ms Heard had feared for her life throughout her relationship.
And Depp consumed huge amounts of drugs and drink – which means he typically did not keep in mind what he’d performed, the courtroom heard.
The trial additionally heard a voice recording of Depp admitting headbutting Ms Heard during a heated argument in December 2015.
Ms Heard says within the recording: “You possibly can headbutt anyone who’s screaming however don’t scream.”
Depp replies : “I headbutted you within the f***ing… brow.
The 12 occasions Depp beat ex Amber
THE decide right now dominated Depp attacked his ex-wife 12 occasions of their relationship. These had been:
- In early 2013, Depp slapped and knocked Heard to the bottom after she made a joke about his “Wino Perpetually” tattoo
- In March 2013, the actor flew right into a rage whereas excessive on medication and hit Amber so exhausting he made her lip bleed
- In June 2013, Depp attacked Amber in a trailer in Hicksville – throwing glasses at her and ripping her gown
- In Might 2014, the actor screams at his spouse on a non-public jet after taking medication and boozing earlier than kicking her within the again or bum
- In 2014, Depp grabs Amber by the hair, slaps her and pushes her to the bottom on a detox journey to the Bahamas.
- In January 2015, the star once more assaults Amber whereas on medication – this time slapping her and pushing her to the bottom. He then pressured her tears as he stood over her yelling.
- In March 2015, Depp launches right into a brutal three-day assault in Australia – leaving Heard with a damaged lip, swollen nostril and cuts throughout her physique. He trashed the home within the violent rampage and pushed Amber to the bottom, choking her and spitting in her face as he made the star “concern for her her life”
- In March 2015 within the couple’s LA residence, Depp grabbed Amber in entrance of her sister Whitney and repeatedly hit her
- In August 2015 on the couple’s honeymoon, Depp pushed Amber towards a wall by grabbing her by the throat
- In December 2015, Depp chucked a glass decanter at Amber at their LA residence in a drug binge. He additionally slapped her and dragged her via the house by her hair – ripping a bit out. He then hit her once more at the back of the pinnacle and headbutted her within the face and screamed ‘I’ll f***ing kill you’. Depp then pushed her face right into a mattress and repeatedly punched her at the back of the pinnacle
- In April 2016 at Amber’s party, Depp assaulted his spouse after receiving ‘grim information’ about his funds.
- In Might 2016, Depp chucked a cellphone at Heard – injuring her eye – earlier than pulling her hair and hanging her
The decide dismissed two allegations made by Ms Heard however didn’t conclude she had been untruthful. These had been:
- In December 2014, Heard claimed Depp was “violent in the direction of” her and later branded himself a “f***ing savage”
- In November 2015, she stated Depp “threw her across the room” and pushed her over a chair
“That does not break a nostril.”
Throughout cross-examination Depp stated he “by accident” headbutted his ex-wife.
As well as, the courtroom heard Depp cut off the tip of his finger in a drunken rampage – and used the bloody stump to scrawl over the walls.
Ms Wass stated: “It was a state of full carnage in home.
“You held up your hand and stated [to Ms Heard]: ‘Look what you made me do. Is it adequate for you? This what a f***ing fool I’m loving you.’”
At the moment’s verdict leaves Depp’s status – and presumably profession – in tatters.
He may now face forking out hundreds of thousands of kilos in authorized prices – together with The Solar’s.
Following today’s uling, Ms 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.
“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.”
