Johnny Depp appeared at London’s High Court on Wednesday morning for his case against a national newspaper over claims he beat up his ex-wife Amber Heard.
The American actor is suing for libel over an article in which the Pirates of the Caribbean star as labelled as a “wife-beater”.
Depp is set to face his ex-wife Amber Heard as he pleads against allegations he hit her during their turbulent 18-month marriage.
The 56-year-old covered his eyes with a pair of sunglasses as he made his way inside the court.
In an article in the Sun, Executive Editor Dan Wootton blasted famous author JK Rowling as a “Hollywood hypocrite” for casting Depp in her film Fantastic Beasts, and, during the same piece, he outlined Heard’s claims that the star physically and verbally abused her during their short-lived union.
Actor Johnny Depp spotted outside the High Court in London on Tuesday morning (Image: PA)
He has denied the abuse claims, and is set to face his former spouse in the central London court next month.
During his pre-trial hearing today, Depps’s lawyers refuted the allegations of violence against Heard as “100 per cent”.
David Sherborne representing Depp, told the court: “The Sun’s article contains serious and criminal accusations against Mr Depp; that he beat his wife and caused her significant injury.
Amber Heard and Johnny Depp married in 2015, but divorced a year later (Image: Getty Images for Art of Elysium)
“Mr Depp has the right to have himself publicly vindicated. This is a vital function of the libel trial when it takes place.”
Heard, 33, who resides in the states, will travel to London to give her account of previous events.
The pair, who met on the set of The Rum Diaries in 2011, married in an intimate ceremony in Los Angeles in 2015.
The Aquaman actress filed for divorce from Depp on May 23, 2016, and obtained a temporary restraining order against him.
The Hollywood actor is suing The Sun newspaper over claims he beat up his ex-wife Amber Heard (Image: Getty Images)
During her court declaration, Heard alleged that the actor had been verbally and physically abusive, mostly under the influence of alcohol.
However, Depp has denied the claims and insisted he was the victim of domestic violence and that he was regularly attacked by Heard.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
