It was humorously dubbed “the war on terrier” but now actress Amber Heard can breathe a sigh of relief with the hyped trial ending after only one day at court.
Escaping conviction in a Queensland court the starlet, who will celebrate her 30th birthday on Friday, was fined $1000 and received a one month good behaviour bond.
Watch the couple leave court in the player below. Post continues after the video.
Thankfully for Mrs Depp, she avoided the possible punishment of jail time.
On Monday, her lawyer Jeremy Kirk explained to the court that the actress thought Johnny’s staff had handled Pistol and Boo’s travel forms when they flew in on the private jet last April.
He later remarked that the paperwork had simply “slipped through the cracks” and there was “nothing in it” for the 29-year-old starlet to fill out.
Amber’s legal representation went on to discuss how sleep deprived and exhausted she was at the time, adding, “It was a terrible, terrible mistake.”
After flying into Coolangatta Airport on Sunday morning, reporters from Nine News observed that Johnny was laughing and appeared relaxed in the courtroom.
Johnny and Amber seemed in good spirits.
Staying mum, the actor barely addressed the media swarming outside the court, replying to one question with “fine, thank you.”
The debacle began last year in May when the actor was on the Gold Coast filming the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie.
It is alleged the dogs were not declared to customs officials on arrival, and their presence was only realised by officials when their visit to a Gold Coast dog grooming salon was made public through a snap on social media.
The couple faced a barrage of reporters and an onslaught of police.
The matter was significantly heightened when Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce threatened to have the dogs euthanized if they didn’t “bugger off” back to the America.
“Now Mr. Depp needs to take his dogs back to California or we’re going to have to euthanize them,” he infamously told reporters.
“If we start letting movie stars, even if they’ve been ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ twice, to come into our nation then why don’t we just break the laws for everybody. It’s time that Pistol and Boo buggered off back to the United States.”
Twelve witnesses, including Johnny, are listed to give evidence and the actress is required to appear at the Southport Magistrates Court hearing.
Amber Heard with one of her adorable pups.
Last year, agriculture minister Barnarby Joyce made international headlines when he issued the famous couple an ultimatum.
Amber is facing two charges of illegal importation of an animal and one count of producing a false document.
Magistrate Joan White showed her amusement last year when she read the letter requesting discretion over the witness list.
“They don’t want to be disruptive to the court,” she said.
Prosecutor Peter Callaghan however said that distraction was no excuse.
“The laws apply to everyone,” he said.
