PIERS' VERDICT
Piers Morgan says Johnny Depp ‘came over appallingly’ in court and praises The Sun for legal victory
PIERS Morgan says Johnny Depp "came over appallingly" in court and praised The Sun for its legal victory today.
He spoke on This Morning today as the news broke that Depp 57, lost his libel case against The Sun newspaper over an article that called him a "wife beater".
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The Hollywood star sued the paper after it claimed he assaulted his ex-wife Amber Heard, which he denies.
But London's High Court ruled today that The Sun was right to brand the Pirates of the Caribbean actor a wife-beater for his brutal attacks on Ms Heard.
Former newspaper editor Morgan said: "It's very damaging for his career. I thought the whole case was very damaging for both of them. I thought it was a horrible mess the case.
"It looked to me like a very abusive relationship with lots of mutually abusive stuff going on. Lots of substances being taken, alcohol abuse physical abuse from one to the other.
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"I think they both lost. It's one of those cases where nobody really wins other than The Sun which has fought its case.
"You have to give credit to the paper, the defendant themselves have fought very effectively.
"But you know, Johnny Depp he came over appallingly in that court case. I don't think she came over much better. And now he's not only lost the case, he's lost a lot of money but more importantly, he's lost his reputation.
"And in Hollywood we know what they're like, they are moral hypocrites, but they will I suspect take a very dim view of now Johnny Depp now being, effectively, in the court of public opinion, a wife beater."
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Judge Mr Justice Nicol said today The Sun had proved what was in the article about the Pirates of the Caribbean star to be "substantially true".
The judge also rejected Depp's claim that his ex-wife Ms Heard, 34, had pooed in the couple's bed in April 2016.
A spokesperson for The Sun thanked Ms Heard for "her courage".
They added: "The Sun has stood up and campaigned for the victims of domestic abuse for over 20 years.
"Domestic abuse victims must never be silenced and we thank the judge for his careful consideration and thank Amber Heard for her courage in giving evidence to the court.
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"Charity Women's Aid said everyone who experiences domestic abuse "deserves to be listened to and believed".
"This also applies to survivors who do not fit the image of the 'perfect' victim - and regardless of the high profile of the alleged abuser. There is no excuse for domestic abuse."
The trial was heard over 16 days in July at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.
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