Johnny Depp has won his legal battle with ex Amber Heard, following a sensational six week long trial in the US.
A jury ruled in favour of the actor, 58, following weeks of testimony from Depp himself, Heard, friends of the pair, expert witnesses and even supermodel Kate Moss, a former partner of Depp.
Depp was awarded compensatory damages of $10million (£8million) and a further $5million (£4million) in punitive damages.
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Heard appeared tearful and stared down at the table as the verdict was read out this afternoon.
She was awarded compensatory damages of $2million after proving one of her counterclaims to the jury.
Following the verdict Ms Heard said she felt “heartbroken” by the ruling, adding she was “sadder still” that she had “lost a right” to “speak freely and openly”.
“The disappointment I feel today is beyond words. I’m heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband,” she said in a statement.
“I’m even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women.
“It is a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated.
“It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously.
“I believe Johnny’s attorneys succeeded in getting the jury to overlook the key issue of freedom of speech and ignore evidence that was so conclusive that we won in the UK.
“I’m sad I lost this case. But I am sadder still that I seem to have lost a right I thought I had as an American – to speak freely and openly.”
Depp sued Heard, 36, for defamation over a 2018 Washington Post op-ed she wrote about the alleged domestic violence she suffered, although she did not name her ex-husband.
He demanded more than £38 million, saying her domestic abuse claims have all but ended his career and ruined his reputation.
Depp denies ever physically or sexually assaulting Heard.
The Aquaman actress filed a countersuit against Depp, seeking almost £78 million in damages and saying his legal team falsely accused her of fabricating claims against the actor.
During the course of the trial, the jury heard how the couple met on the set of movie The Rum Diary and then began a romantic relationship while on the press tour in 2011.
They married in 2015, celebrating with friends and family on Depp's private island in the Bahamas.
In May, Heard filed for divorce.
During the trial Heard described in detail alleged physical assaults committed by Depp, including on a private plane in front of staff.
She also described alleged incidents of sexual assaults, claiming Depp penetrated her with a bottle during an evening of violence and anger in Australia, performed a "cavity search" on her while they were on holiday in the US, and then in the Bahamas where he "shoved his fingers inside" her, through her bathing suit.
The trial also saw footage of Depp kicking and smashing kitchen cabinets.
Taking the stand for the first time in the trial, Depp described the impact of the accusations on him.
“It’s very strange when one day you’re Cinderella so to speak then 0.6 seconds later you’re Quasimodo,” he said.
“I didn’t deserve that nor did my children nor did the people who believed in me all these years. I didn’t want any of those people to believe I had done them wrong or that I was a fraud.
"I pride myself on honesty. I pride myself on truth. Truth is the only thing I am interested in.
"Lies will get you nowhere but lies build upon lies that build upon lies. I am obsessed with the truth."
Heard, taking the stand for the final time, said she has received thousands of death threats since the trial began.
In tears she went on: "I just want Johnny to leave me alone. I just want him to leave me alone. I've said that for years now."
Asked what she hoped to reclaim "after this is over", Amber said she has a "right to tell my story" and: "I hope to get my voice back."
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