Released Text Messages, Photos Suggest History of Abuse in Heard and Depp's Marriage

Sources close to Heard told NBC News the messages are between Heard and Depp's assistant at the time, Stephen Deuters

Less than a week after Amber Heard was granted a temporary restraining order against Johnny Depp, text messages, allegedly between Heard and a man purported to be the actor's assistant in 2014 imply a history of abuse.

The series of text messages, obtained by Entertainment Weekly, suggests that physical abuse alleged in the application for a restraining order may have begun before the couple were married in 2015.

Sources close to Heard told NBC News the messages are between Heard and Depp's assistant at the time, Stephen Deuters. Deuters did not respond to a request for comment, according to "Today."

A source told ET the text messages are from May 2014. Screenshots of the exchange, published on the website, do not appear to show the date stamp.

"Think he's just texted you. He's incredibly apologetic and knows that he has done wrong," Deuter's alleged text reads. "He wants to get better now. He's been very explicit about that this morning. Feel like we're at a critical juncture."

The recipient of the text, who the source said is Heard, responds, "Yes but I don't know how to be around him after what he did to me yesterday. I don't know if I can stay with him."

Deuters allegedly contends that the man, purported to be Depp, has no recollection of the events that occurred, writing that, "When I told him he kicked you, he cried. It was disgusting. And he knows it."

Heard alleges that Depp has "done this many times before" in another message, telling Deuters, "Tokyo, the island, London (remember that?!), and I always stay. Always believe he's going to get better...And then every 3 or so month [sic], I'm in the exact same position."

In her court filing Heard wrote that "there was one severe incident in December 2015 when I truly feared for my life.” Photos showing Heard with a bruised face have been published in People magazine, injuries her reps say were caused during that alleged incident.

The LAPD said they have not received an official statement from Heard regarding the allegations released to the media and no criminal report has been filed.

Heard’s lawyers said on May 31 that the actress gave a statement to the LAPD. It was not clear when she spoke to police.

Depp has not responded to repeated requests for comment.

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