Heard 'Stayed Silent To Protect Depp's Career'

Amber Heard never told police about Johnny Depp's alleged abuse in order to protect his career, her lawyers have claimed.

A statement from Heard's legal team on Tuesday claimed she suffered "years of physical and psychological abuse at the hands of Johnny", who they said "desperately" needed help.

It comes a day after Depp's daughter, Lily-Rose, 17, defended her father by posting a childhood picture of the pair of them together on Instagram and described the actor as "the sweetest most loving person I know".

Depp, 52, has denied allegations he abused his wife.

In a statement, Samantha F Spector and her co-counsel Joseph P Koenig hailed Heard a "hero" for breaking her silence and a "brave and financially independent woman" whose actions were not motivated by money.

"Amber did not provide a statement to the LAPD in an attempt to protect her privacy and Johnny's career," they said.

"Johnny's team has forced Amber to give a statement to the LAPD to set the record straight as to the true facts, as she cannot continue to leave herself open to the vicious false and malicious allegations that have infected the media."

Depp last week was ordered to stay at least 100 yards from his estranged wife after she accused him of throwing a mobile phone at her face during a fight on 21 May.

The Texas-born 30-year-old actress filed for divorce two days later, blaming irreconcilable differences and said the pair, who have been married for 15 months, had separated a day earlier.

The alleged confrontation would have taken place after Depp's 81-year-old mother, Betty Sue Palmer, died in Los Angeles following a long illness.

Papers filed with the Los Angeles Superior County Court showed that in another incident in April, Depp skipped her birthday party and showed up later high and drunk and pushed her to the floor.

Heard claims Depp has a "history of drug and alcohol abuse".

Her lawyers said: "In reality, Amber acted no differently than many victims of domestic violence, who think first of the harm that might come to the abuser, rather than the abuse they have already suffered."

They added: "Amber is the victim. Amber is a hero."

The pair, who do not have children together, met on the set of the film The Rum Diary in 2011 and tied the knot in February 2015.