Jim Carrey abandons plans to make late girlfriend's mother pay $372,000 bond in suicide case

Jim Carrey has deserted efforts to force the mother of his late girlfriend Cathriona White to pay a $372,000 (£290,000) bond.

The news comes as a judge confirmed a trial would go ahead over claims the Hollywood actor utilised his “wealth, influence and celebrity status” to provide the prescription drugs White used to overdose.

White, a make-up artist from Ireland, was found dead in her Los Angeles home in September 2015. A post-mortem found the 30-year-old died from an overdose of various prescription drugs, with a coroner recording her death as suicide.

White’s mother, Brigid Sweetman, and estranged husband, Mark Burton, are suing the 55-year-old actor, alleging that Carrey provided the drugs used in White’s suicide.

Michael Avenatti, who represents the pair, said: "In light of the court's recent rulings entirely in our favour, we look forward to the trial in April.

"The public deserves to know the truth."

Carrey, who is famed for his roles in The Mask, The Truman Show and Dumb and Dumber, has abandoned a request for Ms Sweetman to put a bond of $372,000 (£290,000) aside to go towards his fees if he succeeds in fending off the case.

Carey’s lawyer, Raymond Boucher, wrote to the court asking for the request to be dropped due to the fact Ms Sweetman lacks the means to pay and is ill.

Mr Boucher, previously requested Los Angeles Superior Court to strike out the overall case against Carrey. But a judge at Los Angeles Superior Court ruled the case would not be thrown out, and Carrey should face a jury over the claims of wrongful death and allegations under the Drug Dealer Liability Act.

Judge Deirdre Hill also ruled against the actor’s privacy request and ruled the jury should hear medical evidence about claims that he gave White three sexually-transmitted diseases.​

At the end of May, Judge Hill ruled the case would go ahead and set a trial date for 26 April 2018 and estimated the trial to last 20 days.

Carrey denies all the allegations launched against him and his lawyer, Mr Boucher, has branded the lawsuits “predatory” and “malicious”.

Additional reporting from Press Association