Johnny Depp was spotted in a Newcastle pub garden with Sam Fender as the verdict on the defamation lawsuit he launched against his ex-wife Amber Heard was heard.

Shortly after 7pm UK time, the jury announced they had ruled in favour of Johnny as they read out the verdict in the courthouse in Fairfax County, Virginia, on Wednesday 1 June.

Actor Johnny, 58, was awarded $15million in damages – $10m (£8m) in compensatory damages and $5m in punitive damages.

The jury also ruled that Amber's countersuit case was unproven – but she was awarded $2million in damages for a statement Johnny's lawyer made about her.

Just as the results of the high-profile case was heard, Johnny was spotted at the Bridge Tavern in Newcastle.

Singer and songwriter Sam shared a snap of him in the company of the Fantastic Beasts actor and his longtime friend and collaborator Jeff Beck.

Johnny was seen in a checked beige shirt, blue-tinted shades and a white baseball cap as he smiled for the group snap.

"Some serious heroes," 28 year old Sam wrote in the caption.

As soon as closing arguments were heard in the case last week, Johnny left for the UK and surprised fans as he joined Jeff on stage at his performances.

Johnny and Jeff are set to play at the Sage Gateshead on Thursday night.

The Sweeney Todd actor's sighting in Newcastle with Sam had locals buzzing, with one person tweeting: "Johnny Depp being in Newcastle with Sam Fender finding out the trial verdict feels like a fever dream."

Another wrote: "Sam Fender on the p**s with Johnny Depp in Newcastle is the best thing I've seen in my life."

The multimillion-dollar lawsuit saw Johnny suing his ex-wife for defamation over a newspaper article in The Washington Post called: "I spoke up against sexual violence – and faced our culture's wrath. That has to change."

The article, which was published in 2018, didn't reference the Pirates of the Caribbean actor by name, but his lawyers claimed it falsely implied he had sexually and physically abused Amber, 36, during their relationship and subsequent marriage.

The former couple, who finalised their divorce in 2017 just 16 months after legally getting married, had been embroiled in a bitter trial over the last six weeks.

While Johnny was not present in the Virginia courtroom, Amber heard the verdict in person.

Following the announcement, Amber released a statement which read: "The disappointment I feel today is beyond words. I'm heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband."

She claimed that the verdict was a "setback for women" and "sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously".

"I'm sad I lost this case. But I am sadder still that I seem to have lost a right I thought I had as an American – to speak freely and openly," she concluded.

Johnny also shared a statement which thanked the jury for "giving him his life back".

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