Johnny Depp loses libel case against Britain’s Sun newspaper

 (CNN Business) – Johnny Depp has lost his highly publicized libel case against the publisher of Britain’s The Sun newspaper, whose claim that he was an abusive husband sparked a courtroom showdown between the Hollywood star and his ex-wife Amber Heard earlier this year.

Depp sued News Group Newspapers and Dan Wootton — The Sun’s executive editor — over an article that claimed the “Pirates Of The Caribbean” star was violent toward Heard while they were together.

But the UK’s High Court ruled in the publisher’s favor on Monday.

Citing evidence, including photos, audio recordings and Depp’s own text messages, lawyers for the newspaper group argued in court filings that Depp “beat his wife Amber Heard, causing her to suffer significant injury, and on occasion leading to her fearing for her life.

“Judge Andrew Nicol said in his judgment Monday that the paper’s claims had been shown to be “substantially true.”

“I have reached these conclusions having examined in detail the 14 incidents on which the defendants rely, as well as the over-arching considerations which the claimant submitted I should take into account,” the judge said.

Depp had admitted long-term problems with drugs and alcohol during the trial but said the tabloid’s claims that he was violent toward Heard were “completely untrue.”