Winona Ryder and Vanessa Paradis no longer giving evidence in Depp libel claim

The Hollywood star, 57, is suing the tabloid’s publisher News Group Newspapers (NGN) and its executive editor Dan Wootton over an April 2018 article which alleged he was violent towards ex-wife Amber Heard, 34, during their tumultuous relationship.

At the start of day eight of Mr Depp’s claim, Mr Sherborne said there was no need to call Ms Ryder and Ms Paradis given that the defendant’s case is that the actor was not violent to other partners but was to Ms Heard.

He told the court: “There is no need to reschedule those witnesses, much as it would have been a pleasure to have them here.”

Ms Paradis, who was in a relationship with Mr Depp for more than 14 years and had two children with him, was due to give evidence in support of the actor’s case on Thursday.

At a preliminary hearing in the case, part of Ms Paradis’s witness statement 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.”

On Wednesday, the court did not have time to hear from actress Winona Ryder, who was engaged to Mr Depp in the 1990s.

The court has previously heard Mr Depp had a “Winona Forever” tattoo when the pair were an item, which he later changed to “Wino Forever”.

At a preliminary hearing in the case, part of Ms Ryder’s witness statement was revealed in court documents, which read: “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.”

On Thursday morning, the court is now due to hear from Sean Bett, Mr Depp’s former head of security, and Alejandro Romero, a concierge at the Eastern Columbia Building where Mr Depp and Ms Heard lived in Los Angeles.

The Pirates Of The Caribbean star is suing NGN and Mr Wootton over the publication of an article on April 27 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” Mr Depp assaulted Ms Heard on a number of occasions and left her “in fear for her life”.

Ms Heard claims that, during an incident in Australia, she was subjected to a “three-day hostage situation” during which Mr Depp drank to excess and took pills.

NGN is defending the article as true, and says Mr Depp was “controlling and verbally and physically abusive towards Ms Heard, particularly when he was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs”.