Depp was ‘kind and non-violent’, ex-partner says in legal document

JOHNNY DEPP’S ex-partner Vanessa Paradis has said he is a “kind, attentive, generous and non-violent person and father”, according to court documents in his libel claim against The Sun newspaper.

The Pirates Of The Caribbean star is suing the tabloid’s publisher, News Group Newspapers (NGN), and its executive editor, Dan Wootton, over an April 2018 article which referred to the 56-year-old as a “wife-beater”.

The article related to allegations made against Mr Depp by his former wife, actress Amber Heard – which the actor strenuously denies.

Lawyers for Mr Depp are seeking to admit evidence from Ms Paradis, who has two children with the star, as part of his case against the publisher – which is due to be tried at the High Court in London in July. David Sherborne, representing Mr Depp, said in court documents that his relationship with Ms Paradis ended in 2012, shortly before he and Ms Heard were together, “and when he is first alleged to have been violent”.

In a witness statement, Ms Paradis said: “I have known Johnny for more than 25 years. We’ve been partners for 14 years and we raised our two children together. “Through all these years I’ve known Johnny to be a kind, attentive, generous, and non-violent person and father.”

She added: “He was never violent or abusive to me.”

At a hearing conducted remotely over Skype yesterday, Mr Depp’s lawyers also said they wish to adduce evidence from actress Winona Ryder, who was in a relationship with the star in the 1990s.

In her statement, Ms Ryder said: “I cannot wrap my head around (Ms Heard’s) accusations. He was never, never violent towards me. He was never, never abusive at all towards me.”

Mr Depp’s lawyers also wish to call evidence from a former personal assistant to Ms Heard, and a mechanic who worked for the couple before their acrimonious divorce.

A two-week trial was due to start in London on March 25 but it was put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is now set to take place at the Royal Courts of Justice from July 7, with strict social distancing measures in place.