Johnny Depp and ex-wife Amber Heard arrive at London's High Court for legal showdown. Video / AP
Kate Moss was pushed down the stairs by Johnny Depp during their relationship, his ex-wife Amber Heard yesterday told the High Court.
Depp's former wife said she feared the same was about to happen to her sister Whitney Henriquez when she stepped in and punched Depp during one of his alleged violent rages at their LA penthouse.
Heard, 34, said that she reacted after suddenly recalling Depp had previously thrown the British supermodel down a flight of steps while they were dating.
During the libel case brought by Depp, 57, against the publisher of The Sun newspaper, NGN, for labelling him a 'wife beater', Heard said: "He was about to push her down the stairs and, the moment before that happened, I remembered information I had heard [that] he pushed a former girlfriend – I believe it was Kate Moss – down the stairs.
"I had heard this rumour from two people and it was fresh in my mind. In a flash I reacted in defence of her."
Heard said the staircase incident had been the only occasion she had hit Depp, stating: "I had for years been Johnny's punchbag and for years I had never even hit him. I never so much as landed a blow and I will never forget this incident ... it was the first time after all these years [I hit him back]."
Kate Moss and Johnny Depp were one of the hottest celebrity couples of the 1990s. Photo / Getty
Depp and Moss dated for four years between 1994 and 1997. Following one argument in 1994, the actor was arrested for criminal mischief at New York's Mark Hotel after allegedly trashing his hotel room.
The actor denied hitting Moss when he was questioned about the incident earlier in the case. Heard has accused Depp of verbally and physically abusing her throughout their relationship and claims he subjected her to a sexual assault during an alleged three-day "hostage situation" in Australia, earlier in March 2015.
She said in her witness statement: "He had me up against the fridge and he grabbed the front of my gown and ripped it open. He was mocking me, touching my breasts. He ripped off the rest of the gown so I was naked. He grabbed me by my breasts and kept shoving me up against the fridge."
US Actress Amber Heard arrives at the High Court in London. Photo / AP
Heard later told the court: "I have been strangled, assaulted, punched, sexually assaulted, strangled, among other things."
At one stage Heard was accused by Depp's barrister, Eleanor Laws, of self-inflicting the scars on her arms she claims were the result of Depp pushing her onto broken glass during the prolonged assault.
Heard – who appeared visibly distressed recalling the events – hit back, stating: "There have been scars on my arms since that evening. I've never self-harmed. Johnny is the self-harmer."
Laws also accused Heard of inventing her recollection of the Moss incident and "making this up as you go along".
Depp denies being violent towards Heard, accusing her of "building a dossier" of false allegations against him to use as an "insurance policy for later".
It has emerged Elon Musk offered to provide Heard with round-the-clock security after she told him Depp had thrown a phone at her and smashed up their penthouse with a magnum of wine.
Actor Johnny Depp arrives at the High Court in London. Photo / AP
But she denied having an affair with the tech billionaire during the time she was married to Depp, telling the High Court her husband was "illogically jealous".
The day after Heard was allegedly attacked by Depp at their Eastern Columbia apartments home on May 21 2016, she texted Musk about the incident, telling him she was going to seek a restraining order against Depp.
He responded by offering to "arrange 24/7 security for you", adding: "The offer would stand, even if you never wanted to see me again ... anyway, sorry for being an idiot. The radio silence hurts a lot. It only matters because I really like you."
In cross examining, Laws said: "Throughout your statement, you have indicated that Mr Depp was illogically jealous ... and that you weren't, effectively, having any illicit relationships." Heard replied: "Not that that matters much, but no."
The trial judge, Justice Nichols, asked Heard to clarify, asking her: "You were not having a relationship with Elon Musk during your relationship with Mr Depp?" Heard said: "No."
The court also watched extracts from Heard's restraining order deposition in the US courts where she said she was "extremely afraid" of Depp. The actress claims that in March 2013 Depp hit her so hard with the back of his hand that blood spattered on a nearby wall.
Heard said: "Johnny hit me on one of the many occasions in March when there was violence ... I got some blood, a little on my T-shirt but also on the wall. He had rings on and backhanded me. It cut the inside of my lip."
In this court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook, actress Amber Heard is cross-examined by Eleanor Laws QC as she gives evidence at the High Court in London. Photo / AP
During Tuesday's hearing Heard insisted that one of her and Johnny Depp's dogs was to blame for the much discussed mess found in their marital bed.
Depp has blamed his former wife for what he claims was human excrement left in the bed as a tasteless prank, the morning after her 30th birthday party ended in a fierce row in April 2016. But Heard told the High Court on Tuesday that it was "unimaginable" that she or any of her friends would have been responsible.
She described the incident as "disgusting", but claimed their dog Boo had suffered similar accidents in the past, as a result of swallowing marijuana as a puppy – once leaving a similar mess on Depp while his master slept.
Heard added: "I can't imagine what kind of human being would have a sense of humour like that, other than Johnny, but I don't think that's funny, I think it's horrific." The hearing continues.
