Johnny Depp’s security guard has taken the witness stand in London’s High Court today.
Malcolm Connolly, who has worked with Johnny for about 16 years, defended the actor amid his ongoing libel trial against The Sun – over an article which labelled him a “wife beater”.
The Pirates of the Caribbean star has denied being physically abusive towards his ex-wife Amber Heard, but News Group Newspapers are defending the article’s publication by trying to prove that he was.
In court today, Malcolm claimed he never saw Johnny hit Amber, and that he would never tolerate a man hitting a woman, even if he was “the Pope”.
The bodyguard recalled going to the scene after Johnny’s finger was severed during a row with Amber in Australia back in March 2015.
He told the court: “I had the car door open and when we were outside Johnny said to me words to the effect of, ‘Look at my finger. She’s cut my f****** finger off. She’s smashed my hand with a vodka bottle.'”
“I saw his finger and it was a mess. He also told us that she had put a cigarette out on his cheek. I could see the mark on his face.”
“I want the truth to come out. My account is true,” he added.
Sasha Wass QC, representing News Group Newspapers, said doctors at the time were informed that the injury was sustained while “cutting onions”.
But Malcolm has claimed that was a lie to “protect Amber”.
He also claimed that he had been trained in “spotting bruise patterns”, and that Amber was “completely unharmed” after the alleged bust-up.
In court last week, lawyers released an image of Johnny lying on a hospital bed following the alleged incident, as well as an image of the severed finger.
“Amber severed my finger with the second of two thrown vodka bottles at me in the early afternoon of Sunday March 8,” Johnny stated in his witness statement.
“The severity of these injuries brought about the personal realisation of the severity of the abuse that Ms Heard had inflicted upon me for so long.”
“I couldn’t believe that we had come to this. I wondered what more she could do to me.”
“Amber claims this was on the second day of a ‘three-day hostage situation’. Amber claims that during these three days, I subjected her to a variety of what sounds like torture and other abuse,” he continued.
“These sick claims are completely untrue.”
The trial is expected to continue over the next three weeks.
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