His legal bill could soar to £5million

JOHNNY Depp now faces a £5million legal bill as well as the prospect of his separate defamation case in the US crumbling.

His British lawyers suggested he would appeal but experts said they would have to find a ‘howler’ in the judgment to stand any chance.

The ruling is a severe blow for Schillings, Depp’s firm of specialist media lawyers, and his barrister David Sherborne.

The costs of Depp’s high-powered legal team are estimated to be £3million and it is understood The Sun is ready to send him its legal bill of £2million.

If the star declines to pay, there will be a further High Court hearing. Jenny Afia, a partner at Schillings, called the ruling ‘as perverse as it is bewildering’. But media lawyer Mark Stephens said any appeal would have to be ‘on the basis that the judge has made some frightful legal howler’.

In America, the case was dubbed a ‘dress rehearsal’ for Depp’s legal action against Amber Heard over an article she wrote in the Washington Post claiming to be a victim of domestic abuse. It is due to heard next May in Virginia.

Amber Melville-Brown, of London law firm Withersworldwide, said the burden of proof in English libel cases is higher than in the US and lawyers there will ‘dissect’ the evidence. ‘This judgment may stop the US proceedings in its tracks,’ she added.