Seen however not Heard – The Eye Journal

Articles printed in The Eye are written by a crew of contributors and edited by the multi-award successful former BBC information and present affairs reporter, Phil Parry.

After 23 years with the BBC, and 38 years in journalism (when he was educated to make use of clear and easy language, avoiding jargon), our Editor Phil Parry is aware of higher than most, the vagaries of authorized actions, when star actor Johnny Depp was discovered to be a “wife-beater” by a British decide, however gained his case within the US, and an enormous division retailer continues to make use of him to endorse a product. 

Up to now he has described how he was assisted in breaking into the South Wales Echo workplace automotive when he was a cub reporter, recalled his early profession as a journalist, the significance of expertise within the job, and made clear that the ‘calls’ to emergency companies in addition to courtroom circumstances are central to any media operation.

He has additionally explored how poorly paid most journalism is when trainee reporters needed to reside in squalid flats, the important function of bills, and about one in every of his most essential tales on the now-scrapped 53 year-old BBC CW TV Present Affairs sequence, Week In Week Out (WIWO), which gained an award even after it was axed, lengthy after his profession actually took off. 

Phil has defined too how essential it’s really to talk to individuals, the advantage of pace in addition to accuracy, why information of ‘historical past’ is important, how sure materials was faraway from TV Present Affairs programmes when secret cameras had for use, and a few of these he has interviewed.

He has disclosed as effectively why investigative journalism is required now greater than ever though others have completely different opinions, how the pandemic performed havoc with media schedules, and the significance of the massively decrease common age of some political leaders in contrast with when he began reporting.

It might be unwise for officers to have a good time too quickly.

The star Hollywood actor Johnny Depp was awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages by a courtroom in Virginia on Wednesday, over a first-person Washington Publish article 4 years in the past from his former spouse Amber Heard, during which she had claimed she was a survivor of home abuse.

He hasn’t been backwards in coming forwards both, and was seen celebrating at a pub in Newcastle, and previously has made a number of shock appearances across the UK whereas he supported ageing rocker Jeff Beck on tour.

Even throughout the high-profile trial, Mr Depp’s image continued for use to endorse Dior’s Eau Sauvage within the fragrance part of Cardiff’s large John Lewis (JL) division retailer.

Nonetheless Ms Heard has already mentioned she is going to enchantment, and he or she gained $2 million in her profitable countersuit in opposition to Mr Depp.

And within the UK it was a fairly completely different story, too, when he misplaced his bid to enchantment in opposition to a scathing Excessive Courtroom ruling that he battered Ms Heard 12 occasions.

A decide at this courtroom determined that The Solar was proper to model Mr Depp a “spouse beater” for a sequence of brutal assaults on Ms Heard, and in March final 12 months the courtroom dominated that his enchantment had “no actual prospect of success”.

For these causes it appears weird within the excessive that JL saved utilizing his {photograph} to advertise a male fragrance.

It seems even odder that the image was nonetheless being employed by the division retailer, DURING the trial, when, after all, Mr Depp had not been discovered harmless within the American courtroom.

It would, subsequently, be helpful, to remind ourselves of what the courtroom within the UK determined.

Within the authentic libel case final 12 months, the decide Mr Justice Nicol concluded Mr Depp had crushed Ms Heard 12 out of 14 occasions – beginning in 2013 when he slapped the actress after she made a remark about his tattoo. He dismissed two allegations made by Ms Heard in 2014 and 2015, however mentioned he couldn’t conclude she had been “untruthful”.

The decide additionally discovered Mr Depp put his ex-wife in “concern for her life” on three events – together with throughout a “three-day hostage scenario” in Australia in March 2015, the place £120,000 price of injury was precipitated to their rented house. Mr Justice Nicol dominated that Mr Depp attacked Ms Heard 12 occasions throughout their relationship, and that The Solar article concerning the assaults, was “considerably true”. These have been:

1. In early 2013, Mr Depp slapped and knocked Ms Heard to the bottom after she made a joke about his “Wino Without end” tattoo.
2. In March 2013, Mr Depp flew right into a rage whereas excessive on medicine and hit Ms Heard so laborious he made her lip bleed.
3. In June 2013, Mr Depp attacked Ms Herd in a trailer at Hicksville – throwing glasses at her and ripping her costume.
4. In Could 2014, Mr Depp screamed at her on a non-public jet after taking medicine and boozing earlier than kicking her within the again or bum.
5. In 2014, Mr Depp grabed Ms Heard by the hair, slapped her and pushed her to the bottom on a detox journey to the Bahamas.
6. In January 2015, Mr Depp once more attacked Ms Heard whereas on medicine – this time slapping her and pushing her to the bottom. He then stood over her yelling.
7. In March 2015, Mr Depp launched right into a brutal three-day assault in Australia – leaving Ms Heard with a damaged lip, swollen nostril and cuts throughout her physique. He trashed the home in a violent rampage and pushed her to the bottom, choking her and spitting in her face as he made Ms Heard “concern for her life”.
8. In March 2015 within the couple’s LA house, Mr Depp grabbed Ms Heard in entrance of her sister and repeatedly hit her.
9. In August 2015 on the couple’s honeymoon, Mr Depp pushed Ms Heard in opposition to a wall by grabbing her by the throat.
10. In December 2015, Mr Depp chucked a glass decanter at Ms Heard at their LA house in a drug binge. He additionally slapped her and dragged her by the house by her hair – ripping a piece out. He then hit her once more at the back of the top and headbutted her within the face and screamed “I’ll f***ing kill you”. Mr Depp then pushed her face right into a mattress and repeatedly punched her at the back of the top.
11. In April 2016 at Ms. Heard’s party, Mr Depp assaulted her after receiving “grim information” about his funds.
12. In Could 2016, Mr Depp chucked a telephone at Ms Heard – injuring her eye – earlier than pulling her hair and placing her.

The decide dismissed two allegations made by Ms Heard, however didn’t conclude she had been untruthful. These have been:

1. In December 2014, Ms Heard claimed Mr Depp was “violent in the direction of” her, and later branded himself a “f***ing savage”. That is, maybe, applicable on condition that the fragrance Mr Depp advertises is ‘Sauvage’.
2. In November 2015, she mentioned Mr Depp “threw her across the room” and pushed her over a chair.

Maybe JL are a bit of embarrassed.

Judging by their astonishing silence this is perhaps a purpose.

I requested the JL Press Workplace (PO) for an evidence of their coverage, and was informed the identical day, that the problem can be ‘appeared into‘. On the identical time I used to be requested to supply a deadline.

This has been the ONLY response from the JL PO which is supposed to serve the media: “Hey Phil, Thanks on your e mail and getting in contact. We are going to look into this for you – please might you let me know what your deadline is? 

My rapid reply was that the assertion must be given ‘ASAP’, nevertheless, nothing has been offered. And this was LAST YEAR!

I don’t count on any response both to this piece, or Mr Depp’s victory within the US, however I can nearly hear the sound of champagne glasses clinking within the JL headquarters…