Johnny Depp turns up in NEWCASTLE as his libel verdict is delivered

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Johnny Depp was seen in a Newcastle pub this evening, just hours before the verdict in his high profile defamation case with ex Amber Heard was due to be delivered.

A jury in the United States later awarded Depp more than $10 million on Wednesday, vindicating his stance that Heard fabricated claims that she was abused by the Hollywood superstar before and during their brief marriage.

The conclusion to the high-profile, months-long trial – along with the injection of cash and widespread support of social media – will likely leave Depp in a celebratory mood as he enjoys a night out on Tyneside.

It comes after he spent three nights performing with guitarist Jeff Beck in the UK, as some fans complained they ‘didn’t come to see’ the actor perform.

Before the verdict was announced, Depp was seen at the The Bridge Tavern on Newcastle’s Quayside, walking through the pub’s beer garden and smiling at punters, and shaking some of their hands.

He was spotted wearing blue sunglasses and a cap, with a brown jacket and green trousers. A punter can be heard shouting ‘love you Johnny’.

Earlier today, he was seen leaving the 100 Queen’s Gate Hotel London, where suites cost up to £2,390 a night, as his bags were loaded into a van. 

One person was seen handing Depp two pirate hats outside the hotel – prompting the actor to smile widely. 

Depp joined Beck at the Royal Albert Hall in west London on Monday and Tuesday night after surprising fans with an appearance at Sheffield City Hall on Sunday. 

There are rumours Depp will continue on Beck’s UK tour, which includes gigs at Gateshead, Manchester, York and Glasgow – but those reports have not yet been confirmed. 

Depp reportedly watched the conclusion to the trial via video link in the UK.

In a statement after Wednesday’s verdict, Depp said, ‘Six years ago, my life, the life of my children, the lives of those closest to me, and also, the lives of the people who for many, many years have supported and believed in me were forever changed. 

‘And six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled.’

After less than three days of deliberation, Heard was awarded $2million in compensatory damages out of the $100million she was seeking in her countersuit against her ex-husband. She was awarded zero dollars in punitive damages.

Despite the jury awarding Depp $15million, the judge reduced the $5million punitive damages award to the Virginia maximum of $350,000, reducing Depp’s total to $10,350,000 – minus the $2million he was ordered to pay Heard. In total Depp walks away with $8.35million in damages

While her ex-husband was in the UK, Heard walked into court wearing a black dress and appeared anxious. After the verdict was read out Heard briefly hugged her lawyers then exited the courtroom.

Depp’s legal team were all smiles and joined each other in a group hug of 10 people.

In a dramatic courtroom moment, the jury returned with their verdict only to be told by the judge that they hadn’t completed the paperwork properly.

The judge was handed an envelope by an officer of the court and asked the lawyers to approach for a brief discussion. Left alone, Heard looked down at the floor, lost in thought before her lawyers came back to her.

Judge Azcarate addressed the jury and said: ‘I need to give the forms back to you. When you find for a defamatory statement, one or more, you need to fill out the compensatory damages. It needs to be at least a dollar up to whatever the damages are. For punitive damages you can put a zero. I need those lines filled out. Retire back to the deliberation room and do that for me.’

The jury left as the judge told everyone not to go anywhere far, before they came back to deliver the verdict.

Amber Heard said in a statement after the verdict, ‘The disappointment I feel today is beyond words. I’m heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband.

‘I’m even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It is a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously.’  

Meanwhile, some of Beck’s fans have spoken of their disappointment that he performed alongside Depp at the Royal Albert Hall in London, complaining he ‘took away so much’ from the guitarist they had paid to see.

Some fans were left disgruntled that the 58-year-old actor had spent so much of the gig performing, with one saying they ‘did not come here to see Depp’. 

Music critic Neil McCormick wrote in the Telegraph: ‘[Depp] may not be the greatest vocalist but he knows how to deliver a song,’ adding that ‘Depp’s presence added pizzazz and created a space for Beck to shine more brightly’. 

Austin Delord, a Beck fan, said: ‘Too much Johnny Depp, we did not come here to see him. Bit of a publicity stunt, he did not bring much to the party, but he took away so much from Beck.’

Francesca Cox, 23, said: ‘It was cool, unexpected. I preferred what was before.’

Others were left frustrated that Depp was enjoying performing in the UK whilst Heard is ‘hiding from death threats’ in the US.

Dr Charlotte Proudman, a British barrister, tweeted: ‘[Depp’s] on tour, waving to his fans. [Heard’s] hiding from death threats. He seems to be doing pretty well out of it all, don’t you think?’

Another Twitter user tweeted: ‘What a narcissistic act on Depp’s part and what an insensitive move on Beck’s part with reference to abuse survivors in his audience.

‘Really rotten to put a guy embroiled in a domestic abuse trial onstage while the jury’s still deliberating and say, ‘Hey! Here’s a guy accused of spousal abuse!”

Whilst there was some criticism of Depp’s performance, many were excited about his surprise appearance.

The actor waved and blew kisses to the crowd as they gave him a standing ovation and cheered his name after the set on Monday night. 

One fan, Angela Flannery, 38, from Southend-on-Sea, a city in southeast England, said of Depp’s appearance on stage: ‘I was pretty shocked. I have always been a massive fan of his. 

‘My other half took me to this gig just to see Jeff Beck, I had no idea Johnny would be playing.

‘It was brilliant, such a fantastic night in general… a special mention to the drummer girl, she was absolutely amazing (and) Johnny Depp smashed it.

‘I’ll die happy (that) I’ve been in the same room as him now.’

Following his Tuesday night performance with Beck, Depp was joined his ex-girlfriend and British model Kate Moss backstage.

Moss was joined inside by former TV personality Sharon Osborne, 69, who arrived for an after-party following the end of the concert.

Depp’s appearance comes as the jury in Virginia is deliberating for a third day in the defamation claims of the actor and his ex-wife Heard. 

The seven-person civil jury resumed deliberations Wednesday morning after deliberating for about nine hours over two days.

Depp is suing his ex-wife for $50 million, accusing her of libelling him with a 2018 op-ed she wrote describing herself as ‘a public figure representing domestic abuse.’ Heard filed a $100 million counterclaim against the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ star after his lawyer called her allegations a hoax. Each accuses the other of destroying their career.

Testimony during the six-week trial has included lurid details of their short and volatile marriage. Heard testified that Depp physically or sexually assaulted her more than a dozen times. Depp said he never struck Heard, that she concocted the abuse allegations, and that she was the one who physically attacked him, multiple times.

Jurors must decide both claims based on whether or not the statements were made with ‘actual malice,’ meaning they knew what they were saying was false, or were acting with a reckless disregard for the truth.

During closing arguments, both sides told the jury that a verdict in their favour would give their clients their lives back.