Text messages between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp's assistant Stephen Deuters were read out in court today as part of the actor's libel case against News group Newspapers

Johnny Depp's assistant called the actor 'disgusting' for allegedly kicking Amber Heard in a row on a private jet in 2014.

Stephen Dueters made the admission in text messages which were read out at London's High Court today as part of Depp's libel case against News Group Newspapers.

Depp, 57, is suing NGN over a story published in The Sun in 2018 which branded him a 'wife beater' - a claim which he strenuously denies.

After taking to the stand today, Dueters was questioned about the heated row between Depp and Heard on a flight from Boston to Los Angeles in May 2014.

The actress claimed Depp kicked her in the back during a fiery argument on the plane - while the actor denies being violent towards her on the flight.

During questioning, Dueters recalled Heard getting up and moving away from Depp once.

At one stage she was standing up. Deuters said he saw Depp raise his leg to attempt to 'playfully' kick Heard on the bottom with his shoe.

Image: Philippe Blet/REX/Shutterstock) Philippe Blet/REX/Shutterstock)

Sasha Wass QC, for NGN, said: 'I suggest that was a proper kick to her back - an assault?''

Deuters replied: 'No. I didn't see that.''

Ms Wass went on: 'You saw him kick her in the back as she walked away.' and Deuters said: 'No. She was just standing there.''

He said he didn't believe Depp's foot made contact with Heard.

A series of text messages were read out in court which were sent between Dueters and Heard a day after the plane journey.

In one message sent by Deuters, he wrote: 'He [Depp] was appalled. When I told him he kicked you, he cried.'

Another added: 'It was disgusting. And he knows it.'

Image: PA) PA)

Deuters was asked whether he'd later told TMZ that the texts were doctored and he'd denied contacting the media outlet.

He said he had only discussed his text exchange with Heard with one of Depp's former lawyers.

He spoke to the lawyer about the 'leak' afterwards but did not complain to TMZ

Deuters said he did not believe they had been doctored but they had been taken out of context.

He had talked to Depp before he got involved in the text exchange and the actor had told him to say whatever he could to placate Heard.

Deuters said he remembered Heard had used the word 'kicked' to describe what Depp had done to her on the plane. But he had only a seen a 'playful kick'.

Image: Humphrey Nemar/ dailystar) Humphrey Nemar/ dailystar)

He did not remember Depp crying when he told him of Heard's claim he had kicked her.

Heard accused Depp of calling her a 'whore', kicking her in the back and then laughing when she cried during the row on the jet.

The claims were made in an email Heard, 34, wrote to herself but never sent, which was read out in court today.

In the email, Heard wrote: 'The man I love and want to marry called me an embarrassment and a whore, among other things, in front of a plane full of people who did NOTHING before kicking me - kicking me in the back and then mocked me for crying about it immediately after.'

Image: WENN) WENN)

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Depp took to the stand for the final time this morning on the fifth day of the trial.

He spoke about his medical problems, revealing he contracted killer bug MRSA after undergoing an operation on his severed finger in 2015.

The actor alleged Heard had hit him with a 'haymaker' punch after he turned up late and in a bad mood for her 30th birthday party as he'd heard he'd lost his entire $650 million fortune - and was now swamped in debt.

Image: Lia Toby/WENN) Lia Toby/WENN)

An email Heard wrote to herself was read out in court, with the actress claiming Depp called her a 'whore', kicked her in the back and then laughed when she cried during a row on a private jet in 2014.

Depp's assistant Stephen Deuters also took the stand, and he testified about his boss' relationship with drugs and alcohol - saying he took cocaine but rarely ever got drunk.

He also insisted he didn't witness any violence or drunkeness or hear any insults being shouted during the 2014 private jet flight.

Depp has denied he was ever violent towards his ex-wife and has accused her of abusing him during their marriage.

Lawyers for NGN are defending their case based on Heard's 14 allegations of abuse, which include claims of bust-ups between 2013 and 2016.

The actor has argued his ex-wife was abusive towards him during the marriage, which collapsed in 2016.

The case continues.

Click here to read the text exchange in full.