That makes 2 English judges that have recently fallen for the attractive damsel in distress ploy. Andrews J in this case and Warby J in the Markle case. I'm not saying that Depp didn't beat Heard up btw but she certainly won an overwhelming victory such that Depp has obviously been advised he has a good chance of winning, especially in view of her (alleged) lies about the donations. The Daily Mail has said it will appeal in the Merkel case. Merkel only had to plead emotional distress to get the judge swooning.

In 1987 Caulfield J famously spoke from the bench about Mary Archer who had given evidence in support of her husband's suit for libel against the Star (who had reported that Archer slept with prostitutes):

From https://www.nytimes.com/2001/07/20/worl ... years.html

Lady Archer's 1987 testimony has entered judicial annals here because of the rapturous effect it had on the judge, Sir Bernard Caulfield, in his jury instruction.

''Your vision of her will never disappear,'' he said then. ''Has she elegance? Has she fragrance? Would she have, without the strain of this trial, radiance?'' And of Lord Archer, he said, ''Is he in need of cold, unloving, rubber-insulated sex in a seedy hotel?'' The comments were considered a key element in his court victory. Archer was awarded $800,000 in damages.

In 2001, the newspaper had its revenge as Archer was jailed for perjury in the 1987 trial. Mary Archer gave evidence again but they finally found a judge who was not a sucker for the old damsel in distress routine (or she had got too old to play it).

Heaven help these judges if they ever come to PP!