Depp pushed Moss down stairs, says Heard
Actress tells libel case she feared her sister would suffer same fate during an argument at LA home
KATE MOSS was pushed down the stairs by Johnny Depp during their relationship, Amber Heard, his ex-wife, yesterday told the High Court.
Depp’s ex-wife said she feared the same was about to happen to Whitney Henriquez, her sister, when she stepped in and punched Depp during an alleged violent rage at their home.
Heard, 34, said she reacted after suddenly recalling Depp had allegedly thrown the British supermodel down a flight of steps while they were dating.
During Depp’s libel case against NGN, the publisher of The Sun, for labelling him a “wife beater”, Heard said: “He was about to push her down the stairs and, the moment before that happened, I remembered information I had heard [that] he pushed a former girlfriend – I believe it was Kate Moss – down the stairs.
“I had heard this rumour from two people and it was fresh in my mind. In a flash I reacted in defence of her.”
Heard said the incident had been the only occasion she had hit Depp, stating: “I had for years been Johnny’s punchbag and for years I had never even hit him. I never so much as landed a blow and I will never forget this incident ... it was the first time after all these years [that I hit him back].”
Depp, 57, and Moss dated for four years from 1994-7. After an argument in 1994, he was arrested for criminal mischief at New York’s Mark Hotel after allegedly trashing his hotel room.
The actor denied hitting Ms Moss when he was questioned about the incident earlier in the case.
Heard has accused Depp of verbally and physically abusing her throughout their relationship and claims that earlier in March 2015 he subjected her to a sexual assault during an alleged threeday “hostage situation” in Australia.
She said in her witness statement: “He had me up against the fridge and he grabbed the front of my gown and ripped it open. He was mocking me, touching my breasts. He ripped off the rest of the gown so I was naked. He grabbed me by my breasts and kept shoving me up against the fridge.”
Heard later told the court: “I have been strangled, assaulted, punched, sexually assaulted, strangled, among other things.”
At one stage Heard was accused by Eleanor Laws, Depp’s barrister, of self-inflicting the scars on her arms she claims were the result of Depp pushing her on to broken glass during the assault.
Heard hit back, stating: “There have been scars on my arms since that evening. I’ve never self-harmed. Johnny is the self-harmer.”
Ms Laws also accused Heard of inventing her recollection of the Moss incident and “making this up as you go along”. Depp denies being violent towards Heard, accusing her of “building a dossier” of false allegations against him to use as an “insurance policy for later”.
It has emerged that Elon Musk, the Tesla and Spacex CEO, offered to provide Heard with round-the-clock security after she told him Depp had thrown a phone at her and smashed up their penthouse with a magnum of wine.
She denied having an affair with the billionaire during the time she was married to Depp, telling the High Court her husband was “illogically jealous”.
The day after Heard was allegedly attacked at the Eastern Columbia apartments on May 21 2016, she texted Musk, telling him she was going to seek a restraining order against Depp.
He responded by offering to “arrange 24/7 security for you”, adding: “The offer would stand, even if you never wanted to see me again ... anyway, sorry for being an idiot. The radio silence hurts a lot. It only matters because I really like you.”
Ms Laws said: “Throughout your statement, you have indicated that Mr Depp was illogically jealous ... and that you weren’t, effectively, having any illicit relationships.” Heard replied: “Not that that matters much, but no.”
Asked by Mr Justice Nicol, the trial judge, to clarify if she was having a relationship with Musk during her relationship with Depp, Heard said: “No.”
The court watched extracts from Heard’s restraining order deposition in the US courts where she described being “extremely afraid” of Depp.
The actress claims that in March 2013 Depp hit her so hard with the back of his hand that blood spattered on a nearby wall.
During yesterday’s hearing, Heard also insisted that one of their dogs was to blame for the much-discussed mess found in their marital bed.
Depp blamed his former wife for what he claims was human excrement left in the bed as a tasteless prank, the morning after her 30th birthday party ended in a fierce row in April 2016. Heard said the incident was “disgusting”, but claimed their dog Boo had suffered similar accidents in the past. The hearing continues.
Kate Moss’s agent did not respond to a request for comment.