The Queen’s Bench Division of the London High Court has dismissed the suit filed by well-known Hollywood actor Johnny Depp against UK newspaper ‘The Sun’ as it was proven that calling him a ‘wife-beater’ was substantially true.
While concluding the 129 pages judgment, Justice Andrew Nicol has said that “the claimant has not succeeded in his action for libel. Although he has proved the necessary elements of his cause of action in libel, the Defendants have shown that what I have held the word to bear was substantially true”
The claimant filed a suit after an article published online by ‘The Sun’ under the title of “GONE POTTY How can J K Rowling be genuinely happy casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new fantastic beasts film” in April, 2018. The article also stated that 57-years old actor has engaged in domestic violence against his wife Amber Heard while the marriage broke down in 2017.Subsequently, the actor claimed in the suit that the said article is baseless and the serious allegations ruined his reputation affecting his career.
While rejecting the Depp’s claims, the Court observed that in an action for libel, truth was a defence, which could be proved on the basis of balance of probabilities.
Further, the court took into account the details of the divorce proceeding between the actor and his wife and the settlement which they arrived at after the conclusion of the same.
