libel claim Johnny Depp refused permission to appeal against damning High Court ruling

Mr Justice Nicol dismissed the Hollywood star’s libel claim against the publisher of The Sun.

Johnny Depp (Aaron Chown/PA)

Sam Tobin, PA

March 25 2021 10:19 AM

Johnny Depp has been refused permission to bring an appeal against a damning High Court ruling that he assaulted ex-wife Amber Heard and left her in “fear for her life”.

Following a three-week trial in July last year, Mr Justice Nicol dismissed the Hollywood star’s libel claim against the publisher of The Sun, finding that an April 2018 column calling Mr Depp a “wife beater” was “substantially true”.

The judge ruled Mr Depp, 57, assaulted Ms Heard, 34, on a dozen occasions and put her in “fear for her life” three times.

The actor asked the Court of Appeal to grant permission for him to challenge the ruling, with the aim of having its findings overturned and a retrial ordered.

On Thursday, the court refused permission for Mr Depp to appeal against the High Court ruling.

Announcing the ruling at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Lord Justice Underhill said: “We refuse Mr Depp’s application to admit further evidence in support of his proposed appeal and we conclude that the appeal has no real prospect of success and that there is no other compelling reason for it to be heard.

“We accordingly refuse permission to appeal.”

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