Amber Heard will reportedly not face further charges for illegally bringing her dogs into Australia.
The actress was charged with illegally importing the dogs and producing a false document at the time. Heard reportedly failed to declare the presence of dogs, which violated Australian quarantine laws.
Now, new reports revealed that prosecutors are no longer taking any further action against Heard.
Keep on reading to learn more.
Amber Heard Illegally Imported Her Dogs Into Australia
In 2015, Amber Heard got into trouble with Australian authorities for illegally importing her dogs into Australia.
At the time, the actress took her two dogs to the Gold Coast to join her then-husband, Johnny Depp, on a film set. Upon entry, Heard failed to declare the presence of dogs, which violated the country’s quarantine regulations.
In July of that year, a rep for the Commonwealth Department of Public Prosecutions confirmed that they’d charged Heard with one count of illegal importation of her Yorkshire terriers. They also charged the “Aquaman” actress with one count of producing a false document to authorities upon entry.
She Pled Guilty Regarding The False Document
At the time, Heard pled guilty to the charge of providing a false immigration document and was sentenced to a one-month good behavior bond. Per ABC News, the Australian authorities decided to drop the charge of illegally importing the two dogs.
According to the publication, Heard’s attorney insisted the actress never meant to lie and not declare her dogs. However, in 2020, several claims popped up that Heard was aware of the quarantine regulations. A statement from Kevin Murphy, Depp’s former employee, corroborated these claims during their defamation trial.
Murphy testified that not only was Heard aware, but she also pressured a staff member to claim responsibility for the crime. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, this testimony led to Australian authorities opening an investigation into Heard for perjury during her 2016 hearing.
Australian Prosecutors Chose To Drop The Case
On Tuesday, the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry announced that prosecutors are dropping the investigation against Heard. They released a statement which read, “Prosecution action will not be taken against actress Amber Heard over allegations related to her sentencing for the illegal import of two dogs into Australia in 2015.”
The statement revealed that they had investigated the evidence that Heard was lying about being unaware of the quarantine rules in 2016. They also examined the employees’ testimonies to determine if they were made under duress.
However, the statement concluded, “A brief of evidence was referred to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, who has made the decision not to prosecute in this instance having applied the Prosecution Policy of the Commonwealth.” So, Heard is free from worrying about any further charges on this issue.
Amber Heard And Depp Had A Controversial Separation
Heard has been in the middle of several controversial trials, including her defamation trial against Depp. The former couple separated and finalized their divorce in January 2017 but soon started fighting each other with allegations and trials.
Their most recent public battle was the defamation trial, where Depp claimed Heard defamed him in a Washington Post editorial. The trial lasted for seven weeks and was heavily publicized and trended on social media.
During the trial, the former couple’s lawyers fought to prove whether Depp was abusive to Heard or if it was the other way around. It concluded with the jurors unanimously deciding in favor of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor. He was awarded a total of $10.35m in damages for the defamation suit.
However, it wasn’t a total loss for Heard, who won her defamation countersuit against her ex-husband. She claims a Depp agent called her allegations against him “an abuse hoax.” The actress was awarded $2m from her $100m demand for damages.
Both Heard and Depp seem to have moved on, with the actress taking up residence in a new country, Spain.
In a recent conversation with Deadline about her career and returning role in “Aquaman 2,” the actress candidly spoke on the legal battle, sharing her willingness to leave things in the past.
“You know, I just want to make movies and be appreciated as an actress,” Heard said. “I don’t want to be crucified to be appreciated as one.”
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