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| Charges dropped against Amber Heard for bringing dogs to Australia with Johnny Depp | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The actor Amber Heard, who was prosecuted for illegally bringing her and husband Johnny Depp’s dogs into Australia, has emerged from the country’s highest profile criminal quarantine case with a one-month good behaviour bond of $1,000 and no conviction. | The actor Amber Heard, who was prosecuted for illegally bringing her and husband Johnny Depp’s dogs into Australia, has emerged from the country’s highest profile criminal quarantine case with a one-month good behaviour bond of $1,000 and no conviction. |
| The Hollywood couple publicly apologised for their dogs’ unauthorised foray down under in a video in which Depp says Australians are “just as unique” as their wildlife. | The Hollywood couple publicly apologised for their dogs’ unauthorised foray down under in a video in which Depp says Australians are “just as unique” as their wildlife. |
| Related: Johnny Depp says Australian politician Barnaby Joyce 'invited me to stay at his house' | Related: Johnny Depp says Australian politician Barnaby Joyce 'invited me to stay at his house' |
| The pair laud the importance of Australia’s strict biosecurity laws in a short video played to the Gold Coast court where Heard earlier had charges of illegally importing animals dismissed. This was in exchange for pleading guilty to making a false customs declaration by saying she had no animals with her when arriving by private jet in Brisbane on 21 April last year. | The pair laud the importance of Australia’s strict biosecurity laws in a short video played to the Gold Coast court where Heard earlier had charges of illegally importing animals dismissed. This was in exchange for pleading guilty to making a false customs declaration by saying she had no animals with her when arriving by private jet in Brisbane on 21 April last year. |
| In the video, which had its script vetted by commonwealth prosecutors and which Heard’s lawyer said was aimed at “achieving some public good” by highlighting Australia’s strong biosecurity controls, Heard describes “a treasure trove of unique plants, animals and people”. | In the video, which had its script vetted by commonwealth prosecutors and which Heard’s lawyer said was aimed at “achieving some public good” by highlighting Australia’s strong biosecurity controls, Heard describes “a treasure trove of unique plants, animals and people”. |
| Depp says that “Australians are just as unique, both warm and direct. If you disrespect Australian law, they will tell you firmly.” | Depp says that “Australians are just as unique, both warm and direct. If you disrespect Australian law, they will tell you firmly.” |
| This was a clear reference to public comments by Australia’s now deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, who as agriculture minister called on the couple to send their Yorkshire terriers Pistol and Boo home to California or risk having them euthanised by lethal injection. | This was a clear reference to public comments by Australia’s now deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, who as agriculture minister called on the couple to send their Yorkshire terriers Pistol and Boo home to California or risk having them euthanised by lethal injection. |
| Heard in the video says she is “truly sorry that Pistol and Boo were not declared” on her incoming passenger card, adding: “Protecting Australia is important.” | Heard in the video says she is “truly sorry that Pistol and Boo were not declared” on her incoming passenger card, adding: “Protecting Australia is important.” |
| Depp closes the video by saying: “Declare everything when going to Australia.” | Depp closes the video by saying: “Declare everything when going to Australia.” |
| Heard’s barrister Jeremy Kirk also made a veiled reference to Joyce when he said comments by “certain representatives of the Australian government” had amplified the public attention towards Heard and compounded the hurtful effects of the case on her. | Heard’s barrister Jeremy Kirk also made a veiled reference to Joyce when he said comments by “certain representatives of the Australian government” had amplified the public attention towards Heard and compounded the hurtful effects of the case on her. |
| But Heard facing the Southport magistrates court with Depp amid blanket media attention when they had “no other reason to be here today” was an act of “sincere contrition”, Kirk said. | But Heard facing the Southport magistrates court with Depp amid blanket media attention when they had “no other reason to be here today” was an act of “sincere contrition”, Kirk said. |
| Kirk told the court that Heard “positively believed” Depp’s personal assistants had taken all the necessary steps to clear the dogs’ entry prior before their arrival at Brisbane airport. | Kirk told the court that Heard “positively believed” Depp’s personal assistants had taken all the necessary steps to clear the dogs’ entry prior before their arrival at Brisbane airport. |
| But the follow through on gaining Australian government approval “fell through the cracks”, Kirk said. | But the follow through on gaining Australian government approval “fell through the cracks”, Kirk said. |
| No attempt was made to hide the dogs as they were in a “mesh carry bag” and “in plain sight” to customs officers at the airport’s arrivals lounge, Kirk said. | No attempt was made to hide the dogs as they were in a “mesh carry bag” and “in plain sight” to customs officers at the airport’s arrivals lounge, Kirk said. |
| Heard “did not understand the meaning and significance” of declaring “no” to customs’ question about having animals, as she assumed the paperwork for their entry had been lodged separately, he said. | Heard “did not understand the meaning and significance” of declaring “no” to customs’ question about having animals, as she assumed the paperwork for their entry had been lodged separately, he said. |
| The couple had taken steps towards specifically clearing the way for their entry into Australia where Depp was shooting the fifth Pirates of the Caribbean film, including taking the dogs to a vet in Los Angeles to have them vaccinated for rabies in 2014. | The couple had taken steps towards specifically clearing the way for their entry into Australia where Depp was shooting the fifth Pirates of the Caribbean film, including taking the dogs to a vet in Los Angeles to have them vaccinated for rabies in 2014. |
| They also were concerned for Depp’s health after visiting a doctor in LA about the actor’s injured hand the day before arriving in Brisbane. | They also were concerned for Depp’s health after visiting a doctor in LA about the actor’s injured hand the day before arriving in Brisbane. |
| Heard had taken Pistol and Boo with her to at least five other countries, including the UK, without incident. | Heard had taken Pistol and Boo with her to at least five other countries, including the UK, without incident. |
| But she was willing to “take no for an answer” on travelling with the dogs and it was a “household rule” not to do so if all the necessary paperwork was not obtained, Kirk said. | But she was willing to “take no for an answer” on travelling with the dogs and it was a “household rule” not to do so if all the necessary paperwork was not obtained, Kirk said. |
| The couple had left the dogs home during Depp’s first trip to Australia when filming the Pirates of the Caribbean movie, as well as during their wedding in the Bahamas in February last year. | The couple had left the dogs home during Depp’s first trip to Australia when filming the Pirates of the Caribbean movie, as well as during their wedding in the Bahamas in February last year. |
| Related: Barnaby Joyce, the man who threatened Johnny Depp's dogs, voted deputy PM | Related: Barnaby Joyce, the man who threatened Johnny Depp's dogs, voted deputy PM |
| Heard, who was accompanied to court by her husband Depp, has pleaded guilty to the separate charge of providing a false passenger card to customs on arrival on the Gold Coast in a private jet in April last year. | Heard, who was accompanied to court by her husband Depp, has pleaded guilty to the separate charge of providing a false passenger card to customs on arrival on the Gold Coast in a private jet in April last year. |
| She had been accused of smuggling the Yorkshire terriers Pistol and Boo on the flight on a visit with Depp, who was filming Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. | She had been accused of smuggling the Yorkshire terriers Pistol and Boo on the flight on a visit with Depp, who was filming Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. |
| But barrister Peter Callaghan for the commonwealth told the Southport magistrates court that no evidence would be offered on the charges of breaching quarantine laws, which attracted a maximum penalty of 10 years’ jail. | But barrister Peter Callaghan for the commonwealth told the Southport magistrates court that no evidence would be offered on the charges of breaching quarantine laws, which attracted a maximum penalty of 10 years’ jail. |
| Heard, accompanied by Depp on her entry to the court through a pressing media throng, stood before magistrate Bernadette Callaghan and answered, “Guilty, your honour,” when asked how she would plead to the false document charge. | Heard, accompanied by Depp on her entry to the court through a pressing media throng, stood before magistrate Bernadette Callaghan and answered, “Guilty, your honour,” when asked how she would plead to the false document charge. |
| Providing a false document on entry to Australia under the Migration Act attracts a maximum penalty of 12 months jail and a fine of $10,200. | Providing a false document on entry to Australia under the Migration Act attracts a maximum penalty of 12 months jail and a fine of $10,200. |
| The incident sparked global headlines when Joyce said the dogs had better “bugger off” back to the US or he’d arrange to have them put down. | The incident sparked global headlines when Joyce said the dogs had better “bugger off” back to the US or he’d arrange to have them put down. |
| The presence of the A-list canines was only discovered when their visit to a Gold Coast dog grooming salon was made public. | The presence of the A-list canines was only discovered when their visit to a Gold Coast dog grooming salon was made public. |