With the infamous Depp v Heard trial set to end this Friday, I wonder why we are all gripping this story with hungry talons.

To the audience, this is a simple tale: a hero brought down by a scheming witch, a good man taken in by a bad woman.

As Chirs Rock announced onstage at the Oscars: “We should believe all women, just not Amber Heard”. 

Deemed to be just a punchline, Heard has no chance of winning regardless of whether she is telling the truth or not.

The narrative of this trial is only to save Depp’s image, and career and to avenge his lost reputation.

As Depp’s female fans fill the courtroom, lovingly admire the back of his head, and bring gifts he will soon discard.

Even with the rate of false domestic violence reports being so rare fans still refuse to believe and mock Heard.

Law & Crime reporter Jesse Weber told Mediaite; “When Heard . . . was testifying, I overheard a lot of people snickering, making snide comments, and laughing”.

There lies the sad truth that no one is as hard on women like other women.

Everything Heard does is scripted says social media, she is conniving, manipulative, mentally unstable, a gold digger, a temptress and of course an untrustworthy liar hell-bent on a ravenous need for drama.

Conspiracy theories have grown faster than the trail’s recess: Heard was snorting cocaine on the stand, she was copying Depp’s outfits, she stole her abuse story from her assistant, she was stealing lines from the plot of “Gone Girl”, all debunked as false.

Meanwhile, Depp plays the quirky, misunderstood romantic wrongfully accused.

Watching a woman be denounced in public has been popular entertainment since the Middle Ages, a kind of delight comes from watching her be humiliated.

This is just like the good old-fashioned stocks; now however memes have replaced the stones.

The hashtag #JusticeforJohnnyDepp has spread swiftly across social media.

While spectators recreate Heard’s bruises with makeup and mockingly re-enact her testimony of abuse.

Meanwhile, this month Mario Batali; accused of sexual misconduct was found not guilty of groping a woman. Bill Cosby is out of prison due to a legal loophole. And rumours are swirling that the conviction of Harvey Weinstein, the man who set off the #MeToo movement, could be overturned on appeal.

But still in public opinion we may as well be marching Heard to the town square.