Kiwi journalist Dan Wootton on winning libel case against Johnny Depp: 'This victory is for Amber Heard'

Johnny Depp has lost his high-stakes libel case against The Sun tabloid newspaper and a New Zealand-born journalist for labelling him a "wife beater", as a British judge said he believed the actor had abused his ex-wife and that she frequently feared for her life.

In one of the biggest English libel trials of the 21st century, Depp sued News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, and the newspaper's executive editor, Dan Wootton, over an April 2018 article that accused him of assaulting fellow actor Heard.

In an interview with Talk Radio, Wootton said: "You may know that Johnny Depp has been suing both my newspaper The Sun and me personally for a column I wrote questioning whether JK Rowling should have cast the troubled actor in her Fantastic Beasts franchise following a string of domestic abuse incidents against Amber Heard."

Johnny Depp arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice, Strand on July 14, 2020. Photo / Getty

"But today is not about Johnny Depp. In fact, I'd be happy never to hear the bloke's name again. I certainly won't be talking about him anymore, even though I do hope he is able to get the help he so obviously needs.

"Today is about @realamberheard. Thank you Amber for your bravery. Thank you for giving traumatic evidence in the face of the most toxic and unfair abuse of your character.
Thank you for being prepared to take on the Hollywood machine."

In a decision that has been cheered by campaigners against domestic abuse, Justice Andrew Nicol said the defendants had proved during the trial in London that their allegations against Depp were "substantially true". Depp's lawyers said they would appeal the decision.

American actress Amber Heard, former wife of actor Johnny Depp. Photo / AP

Over the course of nearly three weeks this summer, Nicol had heard lurid — and irreconcilable — accounts from Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard in which each accused the other of abuse.

"I have found that the great majority of alleged assaults of Ms Heard by Mr Depp have been proved to the civil standard," Nicol wrote in his ruling.

Lisa King, director of communications and external relations at the charity Refuge, which provides support for victims of domestic violence, expressed hope that the ruling sends "a very powerful message" that every single survivor of domestic abuse "should be listened to and should be heard".

Stephens, the media lawyer, called the decision "absolutely devastating" for Depp.

"Johnny Depp is only going to be able to rehabilitate himself if he accepts this judgment," he added.