WARNING: Disturbing content
Johnny Depp sent texts to a friend during his marriage to Amber Heard saying he would "drown" and "burn" his wife then "f*** the corpse", a British court heard today.
Depp attended the High Court in London for a preliminary hearing in his libel suit against British tabloid newspaper the Sun, with his lawyer telling the judge that Heard lied when she accused him of domestic abuse.
The Hollywood star is suing the Sun's parent company, News Group Newspapers, and the newspaper's executive editor, Dan Wootton, over a 2018 article alleging he had been abusive to Heard.
The court heard how 70,000 text messages were "accidentally" made available to the defendants by Depp's former legal advisers.
The Daily Mail reports Adam Wolanski QC, representing News Group Newspapers, told Mr Justice Nicol the texts are "very damaging" to Depp's case.
Wolanski revealed the messages included texts sent to Depp's actor friend Paul Bettany, in November 2013, in which he wrote: "Let's burn Amber".
He also sent messages saying:Â Â "Let's drown her before we burn her!!! I will f*** her burnt corpse afterwards to make sure she is dead."
The Daily Mail added that Wolanski also revealed another text received by Bettany in May, 2014, in which Depp admitted to binging on booze and pills.
"I'm gonna properly stop the booze thing darling ... Drank all night before I picked Amber up to fly to LA, this past Sunday," Depp wrote.
"Ugly, mate... No food for days... Powders... Half a bottle of whiskey, a thousand red bull and vodkas, pills, two bottles of champers on plane and what do you get...???
"An angry, aggro Injun in a f*****' blackout, screaming obscenities and insulting any f*** who got near... I'm done.
"I am admittedly too f***** in the head to spray my rage at the one I love... for little reason, as well I'm too old to be that guy. But, pills are fine!!!"
The significance of that text, Wolanski explained, is that Depp claims he was not intoxicated on that flight. Heard, however, alleges he kicked her and threw his boot at her before passing out in the toilet.
"His version of events is that he was quietly sketching during the flight," said Wolanski.
The Pirates of the Caribbean star sat behind his legal team in court as his lawyer David Sherborne said the case would feature "diametrically opposed" versions of events from Depp and Heard.
"One person, one side, is lying, and one is not," he said. "Obviously, we say that it is Ms Heard [who is lying], Mr Depp is 100 per cent clear about that."
The lawyer said that Heard was not a victim but the "aggressor" in the couple's relationship. Depp and Heard divorced in 2017.The full hearing is due to start on March 23. Depp is also suing Heard for libel in the United States.
Where to get help:
- Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7)
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If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE - DO YOU NEED HELP?
If it's an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
If you're in danger now:
- Phone the police on 111 or ask neighbours of friends to ring for you.
- Run outside and head for where there are other people.
- Scream for help so that your neighbours can hear you.
- Take the children with you.
- Don't stop to get anything else.
- If you are being abused, remember it's not your fault. Violence is never okay
Where to go for help or more information:
- Women's Refuge: Free national crisis line operates 24/7 - 0800 refuge or 0800 733 843
- Shine, free national helpline 9am- 11pm every day - 0508 744 633
- It's Not Ok: Information line 0800 456 450
- Shakti: Providing specialist cultural services for African, Asian and middle eastern women and their children. Crisis line 24/7 0800 742 584
- Ministry of Justice:
www.justice.govt.nz/family-justice/domestic-violence
- National Network of Stopping Violence:
- White Ribbon: Aiming to eliminate men's violence towards women, focusing this year on sexual violence and the issue of consent.
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