Amber Heard denies defecating in Johnny Depp's bed and blames his dog

Amber Heard has denied defecating on Johnny Depp’s bed after a fight, instead blaming the incident on a Yorkshire Terrier with bowel problems.

The actress took the stand on day 16 of their defamation trial and rejected claims made by her ex-husband that she had relieved herself on his bed, despite allegedly telling a security guard that it was "a horrible practical joke".

In court, Ms Heard said she did not commit any kind of prank that day, adding that she was "not in a pranking mood".

"I had just been attacked on my 30th birthday by my husband, with whom I was desperately in love and knew I needed to leave," she said.

In an effort to explain how the faeces got there, she said it was the couple's teacup Yorkshire terrier that messed the bed and that it had a history of bowel problems ever since it had accidentally ingested Depp's marijuana.

Earlier in the trial, Mr Depp said the claim was "ridiculous". "She brought up the faecal matter on the bed. She tried to blame it on the dogs," Depp said.

"They're teacup Yorkies. They weigh about four pounds each," he added. "I lived with those dogs. I picked up their funk. It was not the dogs."

Mr Depp is suing Heard in Fairfax County Circuit Court for libel over an op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post describing herself as "a public figure representing domestic abuse".

His lawyers say he was defamed by the 2018 article even though it never mentioned his name.

Heard was on the witness stand on Monday for the third day in the trial, which is now beginning its fifth week. Her testimony focused primarily on the final months of the couple's marriage, which lasted from 2015 to 2016.

"He was talking to people who weren't in the room. It was terrifying," she said. "It was unclear to me whether he was even mad at me or he was convinced that the guy he said he saw me with was in the room."

Jurors saw a video of Depp slamming cabinets in a kitchen and pouring himself an oversized glass of wine with Heard trying to ascertain why Depp was angry.

The trial continues.