Amber Heard Reacts to Johnny Depp’s Legal Loss Failing to Overturn ‘Wife Beater’ Libel Ruling

Johnny Depp’s request to overturn the ruling in his “wife beater” libel case against The Sun has been denied, and ex-wife Amber Heard is “by no means surprised,” her spokesperson told Yahoo! Entertainment Thursday following the court’s decision. In a written judgement from the Court of Appeal in London judges Lord Justice Underhill and Lord Justice Dingemans said they did not believe the requested second hearing would lead to a different outcome than the first based on the evidence and testimony presented in court.

“Following a hearing last week, the Court of Appeal has refused permission to Johnny Depp to appeal against the dismissal of his claim for libel against News Group Newspapers and one of its journalists,” the official ruling summary reads, according to PEOPLE. “The claim was based on a story in The Sun alleging that he had beaten his former wife, Amber Heard. After a three-week trial in the High Court last year, in which both Mr. Depp and Ms. Heard gave evidence, Mr. Justice Nicol found that the allegation was true.”

Heard’s spokesperson said in her statement to Yahoo! of the ruling, “We are pleased — but by no means surprised — by the Court’s denial of Mr. Depp’s application for appeal.” Calling the evidence presented in the UK court case “overwhelming and undeniable,” the statement reiterated the original verdict that Depp “committed domestic violence against Amber on no fewer than 12 occasions and she was left in fear of her life.” Depp’s appeal on the basis of having new and important evidence that could overturn the case was “nothing more than a press strategy,” they alleged, “and has been soundly rejected by the Court.”

Lawyers for The Sun told PEOPLE in response to the court’s decision Thursday that it “fully vindicates” their reporting and “also Amber Heard who stood up to Mr. Depp in the face of his repeated attempts to silence her.” Calling it a “victory for freedom of the press and for victims of domestic violence everywhere,” the tabloid’s attorney, Jeffrey Smele, added in a written statement to the outlet, “In a case widely labelled as the ‘libel trial of the century,’ the court heard evidence from over 30 witnesses and reviewed more than a dozen files of evidence. The Court of Appeal has now turned down any form of additional appeal. For our clients this will thankfully, finally, bring this matter to a close.”