Johnny Depp loses libel case against The Sun newspaper

Johnny Depp has lost his libel case against The Sun newspaper over an article that called him a “wife beater”.

Mr Depp, 57, sued the paper over the article which claimed he assaulted his ex-wife Amber Heard, which he denies. The Sun said the article was accurate.

Judge Mr Justice Nicol said The Sun had proved what was in the article to be “substantially true”.

A spokesperson for The Sun said it had stood up for domestic abuse victims.

The trial was heard over 16 days in July at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

The judge said: “Although he has proved the necessary elements of his cause of action in libel, the defendants have shown that what they published in the meaning which I have held the words to bear was 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.”