- Title: Johnny Depp's libel case to go ahead, UK judge rules, Amber Heard can attend
- Date: 6th July 2020
- Summary: LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - MAY 10, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** DEPP ATTENDING THE "ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS" PREMIERE SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (FILE - FEBRUARY 5, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DEPP POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (FILE) (REUTERS) AMBER HEARD AND JOHNNY DEPP POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS AT "THE DANISH GIRL" PREMIERE VENICE, ITALY (FILE - SEPTEMBER 5, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DEPP AND THEN-WIFE, AMBER HEARD, WALKING ONTO RED CARPET AND POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - NOVEMBER 3, 2011) (REUTERS) ACTRESS AMBER HEARD, WRITER/DIRECTOR BRUCE ROBINSON, AND JOHNNY DEPP POSING FOR PICTURES AT "THE RUM DIARY" PREMIERE HEARD AND DEPP VARIOUS OF HEARD POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS VARIOUS OF HEARD BEING INTERVIEWED (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS, AMBER HEARD, SAYING: "He's a good person. Johnny's a good human being. He's brilliant at his job and he's mastered the Hollywood machine and done so in his own way. I think that I would be silly to not take advice from him. And he's been very generous." VENICE, ITALY (FILE - SEPTEMBER 4, 2015) (REUTERS) ACTOR JOHNNY DEPP GETTING OUT OF CAR AND GREETING FANS / FANS SCREAMING DEPP AND WIFE, ACTRESS AMBER HEARD, WALKING ONTO RED CARPET AND POSING FOR PHOTOS VARIOUS OF DEPP AND HEARD POSING FOR PHOTOS FANS WAVING AND TAKING PHOTOS WITH MOBILE PHONES DEPP AND HEARD POSING FOR PHOTOS
- Embargoed: 20th July 2020 12:18
- Keywords: Amber Heard Johnny Depp London court New Group Newspapers Sun newspaper court ruling libel case wife beater
- Location: VARIOUS
- City: VARIOUS
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Celebrities,Arts / Culture / Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA004CLOBZGT
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:A British judge ruled on Thursday (July 2) that Hollywood star Johnny Depp's libel case against The Sun newspaper over claims he abused his ex-wife can go ahead this week after rejecting the publication's bid to have the case thrown out.
Depp's former wife, actress Amber Heard is also allowed to attend the civil case, the court said on Saturday (July 4), and hear the actor giving evidence.
The 57-year-old star of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films, is suing the tabloid's publisher, News Group Newspapers, and its executive editor, Dan Wootton, at London's High Court for libel over an article Wootton wrote in 2018 calling Depp a "wife beater".
In June Judge Andrew Nicol ruled that Depp had not fully complied with a court order by not supplying details of mobile phone texts to his assistant which the Sun's legal team said referred to obtaining drugs for the actor.
The paper's lawyer, Adam Wolanski, argued that the breach meant that the case should be thrown out, but Nicol said on July 2 that would not be just.
"The claim is far advanced and the trial is imminent," he said. "Despite the breach which I have found and despite Mr. Wolanski's submissions, I am not persuaded that the trial of the claim would be unfair."
Depp married actress Amber Heard in February 2015 but she filed for divorce after just 15 months. She has accused him of physical abuse during their relationship, allegations he denies.
The libel trial is due to start on Tuesday and is expected to last three weeks. Both Depp and Heard are expected to give evidence.
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