J ohnny Depp’s Hollywood career lay in tatters today as a High Court judge ruled he was violent abuser of wife Amber Heard during their tumultuous marriage.

The Pirates of the Caribbean star, 57, played a high-stakes gamble when he sued The Sun for libel over a 2018 article branding him a “wife beater”.

Depp and his expensively-assembled legal team called out actress Heard as a liar, branding the domestic abuse claims a “hoax” and insisting she had concocted a #MeToo story during their five-year romance.

But in a blockbuster showdown this summer, Aquaman star Heard revealed how Depp had punched her in the face, repeatedly throttled her, dragged her around by her hair, and pelted her with bottles.

Mr Justice Nicol today delivered a devastating judgment for Depp, finding he had attacked his wife on 12 occasions and dismissing Depp’s libel claim against The Sun’s publisher News Group Newspaper.

He found Depp had:

Struck Heard in the face when she laughed at his ‘Wino Forever’ tattoo and attacked her on her 30 th birthday

birthday Kicked her on a private jet while high on drugs

Smashed up an Australian bolthole while subjecting Heard to “sustained and multiple assaults”

Headbutted Heard before she was due to go on The Late Late Show with James Corden

Assaulted his wife in a final showdown when their marriage was collapsing

The High Court ruling is a complete vindication for Heard, whose acting career has stalled since she made the abuse claims public in 2016 and she has been subjected to sustained abuse online for speaking out.

The judge dismissed Depp’s claims of a hoax, ruling: “I have found that the great majority of alleged assaults of Ms Heard by Mr Depp have been proved to the civil standard.”

Finding that 11 out of the 14 allegations were fully proved and another was partially accepted, the judge said Depp had “not succeeded in his action for libel” and the ‘wife beater’ tag “was substantially true”.

Today’s ruling may sound the death knell on Depp’s glittering career as a Hollywood leading man. The Oscar-nominated actor, one of the most prolific and best-known stars of his generation, made his name on indie classics like Edward Scissorhands before cementing his megastar status with the Pirates of the Caribbean series.

After Heard’s domestic violence claims first emerged, Depp continued to work including on Kenneth Branagh’s film Death on the Orient Express and as the villain in JK Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts…. saga.

Depp admitted during the trial that his whole future was at stake, as his history of drinking and drug addiction was laid bare and he tried to explain away mounting evidence of his dark, violent private life.

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard at High Court: In Pictures 1 /105 Johnny Depp and Amber Heard at High Court: In Pictures Johnny Depp arrives at the High Court on the first day .Jeremy Selwyn Amber Heard arrives at the High Court on the first day PA Johnny Depp on the first day of his libel trial against News Group Newspapers (NGN) AFP via Getty Images Amber Heard with her sister Whitney Heard on the first day Johnny Depp's libel case PA Johnny Depp wearing a face covering AFP via Getty Images) Johnny Depp (right) being cross-examined by Sasha Wass QC (left) before the judge, Mr Justice Nicol, at the High Court on 7 July PA Amber Heard waves as she arrives at the High Court on the second day PA Johnny Depp arrives on the second day of the hearing his libel case Reuters AFP via Getty Images PA Getty Images AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images PA Getty Images Johnny Depp (L) arrives on the third day of his libel trial against News Group Newspapers (NGN), at the High Court on 9 July AFP via Getty Images Johnny Depp arrives at the High Court on 9 July Reuters Photo showing Amber Heard injury alleged to have been caused by Johnny Depp An image Heard said was taken after this incident, showing a bruise on her arm. Lines of cocaine on a table that were allegedly taken by actor Johnny Depp PA An image of Johnny Depp apparently passed out on the floor Amber Heard and Bianca Butti leave the Royal Courts of Justice on 9 July Getty Images Amber Heard (R) arrives on the third day of the libel trial by her former husband US actor Johnny Depp against News Group Newspapers (NGN), at the High Court on 9 July AFP via Getty Images Johnny Depp arrives at the High Court on 9 July AP Amber Heard arrives on the third day of the libel trial by her former husband US actor Johnny Depp against News Group Newspapers (NGN), at the High Court on 9 July AFP via Getty Images Johnny Depp photo spilt ice cream photo referred to in court Amber Heard American actor Johnny Depp gestures to the media as he arrives at the High Court on 13 July AP Amber Heard's pet teacup Yorkshire Terriers Pistol and Boo which has been referred to as an exhibit in the hearing of Johnny Depp's libel case against the publishers of The Sun and its executive editor, Dan Wootton, at the High Court in London PA One of the pictures shown in court Actor Johnny Depp arrives at the High Court on 14 July PA Johnny Depp with injuries allegedly sustained from Amber Heard during an incident in Los Angeles PA Amber Heard being questioned by Sasha Wass QC as she gives evidence at the High Court in London on 20 July Elizabeth Cook/PA Johnny Depp arrives at the High Court on 20 July AP Amber Heard arrives at the High Court on Monday where she is due to give evidence against former husband Johnny Depp on 20 July PA Amber Heard image which has been referred to as an exhibit in the hearing of Johnny Depp's libel case against the publishers of The Sun and its executive editor, Dan Wootton, at the High Court on 20 July PA Johnny Depp arrives at Royal Courts of Justice on 21 July Getty Images Amber Heard with a bruising on her face, which was referred to as an exhibit in the hearing of Johnny Depp's libel case against the publishers of The Sun and its executive editor, Dan Wootton, at the High Court in London PA Amber Heard being cross examined by Eleanor Laws QC as she gives evidence at the High Court in London during a hearing in Johnny Depp's libel case against the publishers of The Sun and its executive editor, Dan Wootton on 21 July PA Amber Heard with a friend, which was referred to as an exhibit in the hearing of Johnny Depp's libel case against the publishers of The Sun and its executive editor, Dan Wootton PA Amber Heard arrives at the High Court in London for a hearing in Johnny Depp's libel case against the publishers of The Sun and its executive editor, Dan Wootton on 21 July PA Johnny Depp leaves the High Court in London following a hearing in his libel case against the publishers of The Sun and its executive editor, Dan Wootton PA Video deposition of Amber Heard in US proceedings, which was referred to as an exhibit in the hearing of Johnny Depp's libel case against the publishers of The Sun and its executive editor, Dan Wootton, at the High Court PA Johnny Depp with a cast on his hand PA Amber Heard leaves the High Court in London following a hearing in Johnny Depp's libel case against the publishers of The Sun and its executive editor, Dan Wootton PA Amber Heard arrives at the High Court on Wednesday morning for a hearing in Johnny Depp's libel case against the publishers of The Sun and its executive editor, Dan Wootton on 22 July PA Actress Amber Heard arrives at the High Court on 22 July AP Amber Heard arrives at the High Court on Wednesday morning for a hearing in Johnny Depp's libel case against the publishers of The Sun and its executive editor, Dan Wootton on 22 July Getty Images PA PA PA PA PA PA PA Amber Heard arrives at the High Court on 23 July Reuters Johnny Depp arrives at the High Court on 23 July REUTERS Johnny Depp arrives at the High Court on 23 July PA Amber Heard arrives at the High Court on 23 July AFP via Getty Images Johnny Depp arrives at the High Court on 23 July AFP via Getty Images Johnny Depp arrives at the High Court on 23 July Getty Images Amber Heard with her girlfriend Bianca Butti arrive at the Royal Courts of Justice on 24 July Getty Images Amber Heard arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice on 24 July Getty Images Amber Heard arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice on 24 July Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images REUTERS PA AFP via Getty Images REUTERS Getty Images AFP via Getty Images SplashNews.com PA REUTERS AFP via Getty Images REUTERS SplashNews.com REUTERS

His ex-wife claimed the star first hit her in the face when she laughed at one of his tattoos, she said he lashed out when suspecting her of having affairs with co-star James Franco and tycoon Elon Musk, and effectively held her hostage at an Australian property during a three-day bender.

Depp countered that the claims were false, insisting he aspired to be a “Southern gentleman” and would never hit a woman.

But in the 129-page ruling, the judge dismissed large parts of Depp’s evidence, finding he had turned to violence in times of high stress and when challenged about his behaviour by Heard.

“Mr Depp did what he often did when subjected to stress: he drank alcohol excessively and used controlled drugs”, he said.

The judge highlighted a damning, expletive laden text Depp himself had sent in August 2016, calling Heard a “gold-digger” and railing that she was “begging for total global humiliation”.

“She’s gonna get it”, he wrote.

Depp is likely to be left with a sizeable costs bill from the High Court battle, and is still locked into another court fight with Heard after suing her for libel in the US. His own lawyer, David Sherborne, had admitted a trial defeat in the UK would be “reputation destroying and career-ending”.

Reacting to today’s judgment, The Sun said it “has stood up and campaigned for the victims of domestic abuse for over twenty years'.

“Domestic abuse victims must never be silenced and we thank the Judge for his careful consideration and thank Amber Heard for her courage in giving evidence to the court,' it added.

Heard’s US lawyer Elaine Charlson Bredehoft said the judgment was “not a surprise”.

Jenny Afia, from law firm Schillings which represented Depp, said the outcome was “perverse, bewildering and flawed” and that it would be “ridiculous” for the actor not to appeal.

She said: “This decision is as perverse as it is bewildering. Most troubling is the Judge’s reliance on the testimony of Amber Heard, and corresponding disregard of the mountain of counter-evidence from police officers, medical practitioners, her own former assistant, other unchallenged witnesses and an array of documentary evidence which completely undermined the allegations, point by point. All of this was overlooked.

'The judgment is so flawed that it would be ridiculous for Mr Depp not to appeal this decision. In the meantime, we hope that in contrast to this case, the ongoing libel proceedings in America are equitable, with both parties providing full disclosure rather than one side strategically cherry picking what evidence can and cannot be relied upon.”