FAIRFAX: US actress Amber Heard said she was disappointed “beyond words” Wednesday after a jury found she had made defamatory claims of abuse against her ex-husband Johnny Depp, calling it a “setback” for women.

“The disappointment I feel today is beyond words. I’m heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband,” Heard said in a statement released shortly after the verdict was read in Virginia.

Jury awards $15mn in damages to Depp over Heard defamation

“I’m even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It is a setback… It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously,” she said.