Johnny Depp security guard tells jury he made up story about actor’s severed finger to ‘protect’ Amber Heard
Malcolm Connolly tells court he was sent to ‘extract’ actor from argument with ex-wife in Australia
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Your support makes all the difference.One of Johnny Depp’s security guards has claimed he cooked up a story about the actor’s severed finger to “protect” Amber Heard.
Malcolm Connolly, who has worked for Depp and his family for about 16 years, told the High Court in London how he was sent to “extract” his boss from an argument with ex-wife Heard in Australia in 2015.
The bodyguard has been giving evidence on day six of Depp’s libel claim against The Sun newspaper over an April 2018 article which labelled him a “wife beater”.
Mr Connolly said in a witness statement that when he and another security guard arrived at the property in Australia, he could hear “the ruckus” coming from inside.
He claimed Depp told him: “She’s cut my f***ing finger off. She’s smashed my hand with a vodka bottle.”
Mr Connolly said the actor also told him Heard had put a cigarette out on his face, and claimed he saw a mark.
The security officer said Heard’s account of the incident bore “no resemblance” to his recollection and that when he arrived at the house, the actress “did not have any marks on her face or arms”.
Heard claims the incident was part of a “three-day hostage situation” in Australia – one of 14 allegations of violent behaviour she has made against her former husband.
Mr Connolly said he got to the property at about 1.30pm after receiving an urgent call from the head of Depp’s security team Jerry Judge, now deceased, who told him: “Malcolm, get in the car, extract the boss from the situation.”
He added: “I could hear the ruckus inside. I opened the door, which wasn’t locked, and saw Johnny in the foyer area of the house.
“He and Amber were screaming at each other.
“I had the car door open and when we were outside Johnny said to me words to the effect of ‘Look at my finger. She’s cut my f***ing finger off. She’s smashed my hand with a vodka bottle’. I saw his finger and it was a mess.”
The security guard said the team knew the “true” cause of Depp’s injury would “create extremely bad publicity” and that Mr Judge suggested they should say at hospital that the actor had injured his finger while slicing onions.
Sasha Wass QC, representing The Sun’s publisher News Group Newspapers, said Depp had “come up with a variety of potential explanations to give to other people about how his finger was damaged”.
Mr Connolly said those explanations were “only to protect Amber”.
He added that the story Depp had trapped the finger in the “accordion doors” in the house was “my story”.
Ms Wass took Mr Connolly to a text sent by Depp to his private doctor, David Kipper, shortly after he lost the tip of his middle finger which read: “F*****, man. Had another one. I just cannot live like this. She is as full of shit as a Christmas goose!!!”
The message added: “I cut the top of my middle finger off... What should I do!?? Except, of course, go to a hospital...”
Ms Wass asked: “Would you agree it appears that Mr Depp was accepting that he cut the top of his finger off in that text?”
Mr Connolly said: “Yes, it’s how it’s worded.”
The Pirates Of The Caribbean star, 57, is suing News Group Newspapers (NGN) and its executive editor Dan Wootton over the publication of an article on 27 April 2018 with the headline: “Gone Potty: How can JK Rowling be ‘genuinely happy’ casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?”
His lawyers say the article bore the meaning there was “overwhelming evidence” Depp assaulted Heard, 34, on a number of occasions and left her “in fear for her life”.
NGN is defending the article as true, and says Depp was “controlling and verbally and physically abusive towards Heard, particularly when he was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs”.
Depp denies the allegations. The trial continues.
Additional reporting by Press Association