Amber Heard's dog once ate a ball of cannabis, High Court hears as Johnny Depp's libel trial continues
Amber Heard’s dog once ate “some hash, some cannabis, quite a lot” after “scooping it up” before Johnny Depp could reach it, the High Court has heard.
The Hollywood star was asked about an incident in which a Yorkshire Terrier, named Boo, swallowed “a little ball of hashish” as he gave evidence in his libel action against News Group Newspapers (NGN), publishers of The Sun.
The 57-year-old is suing NGN and its executive editor Dan Wootton over an article that referred to him as a "wife beater".
The Sun has defended the accuracy of its 2018 story.
It had referred to "overwhelming evidence" that Mr Depp attacked Ms Heard, 34, during their relationship - which he strenuously denies.
The court has also heard about an alleged incident in which it is claimed Mr Depp held another of his ex-wife's dogs out of a car window, which he dismissed as “utter falsity”.
Cross-examining the 57-year-old, Sasha Wass QC, counsel for NGN said: “When you were in the car, you were smoking and you opened the window and you were angry and you were aggressive, rather like you were in that clip we saw yesterday, the monster side of your character.”
Mr Depp replied: “No ma’am, I was not in that mode at all.”
Ms Wass said: “And you took hold of Pistol and you held her out of the window and started making howling noises.”
The actor responded: “I can say it is a very endearing image, but it is absolute utter falsity, it is fraudulent.”
When asked if he thought it was funny, Mr Depp responded: “No ma’am, I don’t think hanging an animal, a small defenceless dog that weighs three pounds out of a window is fun.”
Cross-examining Mr Depp, the barrister then asked the actor if he had laughed at a suggestion of the dog being put in a microwave, to which he replied that was a “running joke” between himself, Ms Heard and others.
He added: “I wouldn’t say that I was the inventor of that particular joke and also I wasn’t the only one who brought anything like that up.”
In 2014, Ms Heard and Mr Depp recorded a video apologising for bringing Pistol and Boo into Australia illegally.
Ms Heard pleaded guilty to falsifying an immigration document to conceal the dogs in a private jet in 2014, and avoided jail under a deal that included appearing in the video warning others against breaking Australia’s strict quarantine laws.
The High Court also heard the content of a lengthy email written by Ms Heard, which was read out by Sasha Wass QC, barrister for News Group Newspapers (NGN).
Ms Heard’s email, began: “I just don’t know if I can do this any more.
"It is like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
"Half of you I love madly, and the other half scares me.
"I can’t take him.
"I wish I could, but I can’t.
“The problem is, I never really know/understand which one I’m dealing with until it’s too late.
“The drinking assures me that I am dealing with the monster.
"The abused, scared, insecure, violent little boy.
"I just can’t tell where the line starts.”
The barrister said to Mr Depp: “Your answer to Ms Heard’s allegation that you were a serial domestic abuser was that this is a hoax.”
Mr Depp replied: “Hoax is probably the best word one could use because the allegations, all of the allegations, are patently untrue."
The Pirates of the Caribbean actor who denied receiving the email said: “From hearing you read out this (email), that was not sent to me, and from some of the information I have garnered from my experience yesterday and having studied the case, I will suggest, ma’am, that it appears to me that Ms Heard was building a dossier very early on that appears to be an insurance policy for later.”
The court also heard details of an alleged incident in Hicksville, California, in June 2013 – one of 14 allegations of domestic violence NGN relies on as part of its defence to Mr Depp’s claim, all of which the star denies.
Ms Heard claims he became “enraged” and “jealous” when one of her friends, referred to as Kelly Sue and described as having been “very close to Ms Heard, touched her”.
Ms Wass said to Mr Depp: “You started to get angry, ‘the monster’ joined the party and you took exception to a woman who was in your group called Kelly Sue.”
Mr Depp said he did “take exception”, saying: “She was putting her hands on Amber and I thought it was an uncomfortable position to put her in.”
He denied becoming extremely angry and shouting at her, saying: “I removed Miss Kelly Sue’s hand from Ms Heard’s body and told her not to do that.”
The actor’s case against NGN and Mr Wootton arises out of the publication of an article on The Sun’s website on April 27, 2018 with the headline “Gone Potty: How can JK Rowling be ‘genuinely happy’ casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?”.
NGN is defending the article as true and says Mr Depp was “controlling and verbally and physically abusive towards Ms Heard, particularly when he was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs” between early 2013 and May 2016, when the couple split.