Johnny Depp was "in emotional distress and panicking" after his finger was allegedly severed during a fight with Amber Heard in Australia, according to a security guard for the star.
The High Court in London is considering Depp's libel claim against the publisher of The Sun newspaper, which labelled the actor a "wife beater".
Security guard Malcolm Connolly says in a witness statement in the case that in March 2015 he received an urgent call from the head of Depp's security team telling him to "get in the car, extract the boss from the situation".
Connolly said he arrived at the property where Depp and Heard were staying while in Australia.
"He and Amber were screaming at each other. She was wearing a sort of green silk night thing, you might call it a slip," his statement said.
"I had the car door open and when we were outside Johnny said to me words to the effect of 'Look at my finger. She's cut my f***ing finger off. She's smashed my hand with a vodka bottle'. I saw his finger and it was a mess'.
"Amber appeared at the door and then came close to the car, screaming and crying, calling out words along the lines of 'Are you just going to leave it like this, you f***ing coward?'
Connolly said he was worried Heard might start throwing objects at Depp, as she had thrown a fork, a lighter and a drink can at him on previous occasions.
Connolly said he could see Heard did not look in any physical distress.
"I was much more concerned about Johnny. He was obviously in emotional distress and panicking. He wasn't that drunk or out of it though and was easily standing on his own and having a conversation."
The security guard said a decision was made to tell the hospital Depp had injured his finger slicing onions, to avoid bad publicity.
"The specialist didn't believe us for one second," Connolly said.
Depp did not go back to the house over the next few days and stayed at Connolly's apartment instead.
The Pirates Of The Caribbean star, 57, is suing the tabloid's publisher News Group Newspapers and its executive editor Dan Wootton over the publication of an article in April 2018.
The article's headline asked "How can JK Rowling be 'genuinely happy' casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?"
Heard, 34, says that, during the incident in Australia, she was subjected to a "three-day hostage situation" during which Depp drank to excess and took pills.
News Group Newspapers is defending the article as true, and says Depp was "controlling and verbally and physically abusive towards Heard, particularly when he was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs".
The hearing continues.
Australian Associated Press
