Johnny Depp and Amber Heard at "The Danish Girl" screening presented in competition at the 72nd Venice International Film Festival at Venice Lido on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015. Photo Credit: Getty Images / Giuseppe Cacace
SYDNEY - A court hearing dealing with allegations that Johnny Depp's wife, Amber Heard, illegally brought the couple's dogs to Australia was adjourned on Monday until November.
Heard was charged in July with two counts of illegally importing Pistol and Boo into Australia and one count of producing a false document. She could face heavy fines and up to 10 years in prison if convicted, though legal experts have said it's unlikely she'll face a lengthy jail term since the dogs were flown back to the U.S. before a government deadline.
Heard did not appear at the Southport Magistrates Court in Queensland state on Monday. The case was adjourned until Nov. 2.
The doggie drama began in May, after Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce accused Depp of smuggling the Yorkshire terriers aboard his private jet when he returned to Australia to resume filming of the fifth movie in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series.
"If we start letting movie stars -- even though they've been the sexiest man alive twice -- to come into our nation (with pets), then why don't we just break the laws for everybody?" Joyce said at the time. "It's time that Pistol and Boo buggered off back to the United States."
Australia has strict quarantine regulations to prevent diseases such as rabies from spreading to its shores. Bringing pets into the country involves applying for a permit and quarantine on arrival of at least 10 days.
Officials gave Depp and Heard 72 hours to send Pistol and Boo back to the U.S., warning that the dogs would be euthanized if they weren't. The dogs boarded a flight to the U.S. just hours before the deadline.
The prosecutor's office has declined to explain why Depp wasn't charged, citing the ongoing nature of the case.
Last week, Depp poked fun at the ordeal during a news conference in Venice, where he is promoting his latest movie. Asked if he was planning to take the dogs for a gondola ride, he responded:
"No. I killed my dogs and ate them, under direct orders from some kind of, I don't know, sweaty, big-gutted man from Australia."
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Johnny Depp Dog Drama Continues: Amber Heard's Australian Court Case Adjourned Until November
The dog days aren't over – yet. Johnny Depp's wife Amber Heard's Australian court hearing over charges that she illegally brought the couple's two dogs into the country has been adjourned until November, the Associated Press reports.
The actress was summoned to the Southport Magistrates Court in Queensland on Monday to answer for the charges that she illegally imported the dogs – terriers Boo and Pistol – and produced a false document in May.
Heard did not appear on Monday, and the case was adjourned until Nov. 2, according to the BBC.
The star, 29, faces a possible 10-year jail term or large fine come November. Depp, however, has not been charged in the case. Australia's strict quarantine laws have been set to prevent diseases from entering the island nation, according to the BBC.
The legal debacle began back in April, when it was discovered that the couple allegedly failed to declare the animals to customs authorities when they arrived for Depp to film the new Pirates of the Caribbean film. The dogs' presence was discovered by Australian authorities after a dog groomer posted photos of the pups on Facebook.
The actress, who is married to Johnny Depp, was due to appear in a Queensland courtroom today (07.09.15) to face charges of smuggling the couple's pet dogs Pistol and Boo into the country illegally earlier this year.
However, according to BBC News, Amber, 29, didn't appear as expected and the court date has been postponed until November 2.
The 'Magic Mike XXL' starlet was seen in Venice, Italy, over the weekend, where she joined Johnny, 52, on the red carpet at the premiere of his new movie 'Black Mass'.
The couple are at the centre of a diplomatic storm with Australian officials amid allegations they illegally brought their pups into Australia without proper permits in April. Amber is also accused of producing a false document.
The actress could potentially face a 10-year prison sentence if found guilty.
Over the weekend, Johnny joked that he ''killed his dogs and ate them'', poking fun at Australian Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce, the man who threatened to put down the dogs earlier this year.
He deadpanned: ''I killed my dogs and ate them, under direct orders of some kind of, I don't know, sweaty, big-gutted man from Australia.''
JOHNNY DEPP and AMBER HEARD's doggie drama will be heard in court in Queensland on Monday (07Sep15). The actress is accused of illegally bringing the couple's pet Yorkshire terriers, Boo and Pistol, into Australia, where Depp has been filming the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie. The pups reportedly arrived on private jet in May (16) and weren't declared on the in-flight manifest. Heard, who is charged with illegal importation and a count of producing a false document, is not expected in court and reports suggest her lawyers will seek an adjournment of the matter. Aussie Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce told Heard to "bugger off home" with the dogs or he would consider putting them down. The pets were smuggled out of the country on board another private plane. Joking about the drama at the Venice Film Festival at the weekend (05Sep15), Depp told reporters he had killed his dogs and eaten them "under direct orders from some kinda, I dunno, sweaty, big-gutted man from Australia", when asked if he'd brought the pets to Italy.
JOHNNY DEPP and AMBER HEARD's doggie drama will be heard in court in Queensland on Monday (07Sep15). The actress is accused of illegally bringing the couple's pet Yorkshire terriers, Boo and Pistol, into Australia, where Depp has been filming the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie. The pups reportedly arrived on private jet in May (16) and weren't declared on the in-flight manifest. Heard, who is charged with illegal importation and a count of producing a false document, is not expected in court and reports suggest her lawyers will seek an adjournment of the matter. Aussie Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce told Heard to "bugger off home" with the dogs or he would consider putting them down. The pets were smuggled out of the country on board another private plane. Joking about the drama at the Venice Film Festival at the weekend (05Sep15), Depp told reporters he had killed his dogs and eaten them "under direct orders from some kinda, I dunno, sweaty, big-gutted man from Australia", when asked if he'd brought the pets to Italy.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/entertainment/celebrities_gossip/20150906_WENN_Amber_Heard_to_face_dog_drama_in_court.html#joQqq4UbeQDSj4P7.99
Australian court hearing over Johnny Depp's dogs adjourned
In this Sept. 4, 2015 photo, Amber Heard, left, and Johnny Depp pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film Black Mass during the 72nd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy. A court hearing dealing with allegations that Johnny Depp's wife, Amber Heard, illegally brought the couple's dogs to Australia has been adjourned until November. Heard was charged in July with two counts of illegally importing Pistol and Boo into Australia and one count of producing a false document. She could face up to 10 years in prison and heavy fines if convicted.
Photo: Andrew Medichini, AP
Image 1 of 1
In this Sept. 4, 2015 photo, Amber Heard, left, and Johnny Depp pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film Black Mass during the 72nd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy. A court hearing dealing with allegations that Johnny Depp's wife, Amber Heard, illegally brought the couple's dogs to Australia has been adjourned until November. Heard was charged in July with two counts of illegally importing Pistol and Boo into Australia and one count of producing a false document. She could face up to 10 years in prison and heavy fines if convicted.
Photo: Andrew Medichini, AP
In this Sept. 4, 2015 photo, Amber Heard, left, and Johnny Depp...
Australian court hearing over Johnny Depp's dogs adjourned
SYDNEY (AP) — A court hearing dealing with allegations that Johnny Depp's wife, Amber Heard, illegally brought the couple's dogs to Australia was adjourned on Monday until November.
Heard was charged in July with two counts of illegally importing Pistol and Boo into Australia and one count of producing a false document. She could face heavy fines and up to 10 years in prison if convicted, though legal experts have said it's unlikely she'll face a lengthy jail term since the dogs were flown back to the U.S. before a government deadline.
Heard did not appear at the Southport Magistrates Court in Queensland state on Monday. The case was adjourned until Nov. 2.
The doggie drama began in May, after Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce accused Depp of smuggling the Yorkshire terriers aboard his private jet when he returned to Australia to resume filming of the fifth movie in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series.
"If we start letting movie stars — even though they've been the sexiest man alive twice — to come into our nation (with pets), then why don't we just break the laws for everybody?" Joyce said at the time. "It's time that Pistol and Boo buggered off back to the United States."
Australia has strict quarantine regulations to prevent diseases such as rabies from spreading to its shores. Bringing pets into the country involves applying for a permit and quarantine on arrival of at least 10 days.
Officials gave Depp and Heard 72 hours to send Pistol and Boo back to the U.S., warning that the dogs would be euthanized if they weren't. The dogs boarded a flight to the U.S. just hours before the deadline.
The prosecutor's office has declined to explain why Depp wasn't charged, citing the ongoing nature of the case.
