Amber Heard says Johnny Depp struck her when on drugs

Amber Heard has told a court that ex-husband Johnny Depp repeatedly struck her during drug and alcohol-fuelled rages that she said turned the actor into an “awful thing”.

Taking the witness stand on week four of the trial, Ms Heard alleged that a pattern of violence began in 2012.

Mr Depp is suing Ms Heard over a story she wrote in which she described herself as a domestic abuse victim.

In his testimony, Mr Depp denied any wrongdoing.

“I struggle to find the words to describe how painful this is… this is horrible for me to sit here for weeks and relive everything,” Ms Heard said shortly after taking the stand.

Over several hours of testimony in Virginia on Wednesday, Ms Heard, 36, recalled her first interactions with the “charismatic” Mr Depp while filming The Rum Diary in Puerto Rico.

Ms Heard said they “fell in love” on the film’s press tour when it was released in 2011.

The happiness of the early stages of their relationship, Ms Heard added, were soon marred by disparaging comments Mr Depp began making in 2012 – the same year she alleges that he struck her for the first time.

In emotional testimony, Ms Heard said she laughed when Mr Depp, 58, explained that a tattoo on his arm said “Wino” – an alteration to a tattoo he had made during a previous relationship with actress Winona Ryder.

“I laughed because I thought he was joking,” she recalled. “And he slapped me across the face.”

“I just stared at him kind of laughing, thinking that he was going to start laughing too, to tell me it was a joke,” Ms Heard added. “But he didn’t. He slapped me again. I will never forget it.”