Sydney: Johnny Depp’s wife Amber Heard will face trial in Australia in April for allegedly smuggling two dogs into the country in a case dubbed the “war on terrier”, a court ruled Tuesday. She is facing two counts of knowingly importing a prohibited product in breach of the Quarantine Act.
The trial was set down for April 18 at Southport Magistrates Court on the Gold Coast in Queensland state with a court official saying the actress was required to appear at the hearing.
After the incident in May, Ms Heard vowed never to return to Australia although reports said she “respected Australia’s laws” and was looking forward to “attending the hearing of these matters”.
Twelve witnesses are listed to give evidence but it is not known whether Mr Depp is one of them. The case sparked global attention after the terriers, Pistol and Boo, were threatened with death by Australia’s agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce unless they “buggered off back to the United States”. Dogs entering from the US must be declared and quarantine, as per Australian law.
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