Johnny Depp allegedly said he would "burn" ex-wife Amber Heard

The preliminary hearing in the London High Court was in connection with Depp's libel case against the tabloid, which reported that the actor was physically abusive towards Heard during their relationship.

According to a report in Page Six, Depp sent the said text messages to actor-friend Paul Bettany in 2013.

He allegedly wrote and the court heard, "Let's burn Amber."

The court also heard more text messages exchanged between Depp and Bettany in 2014, where the former talked about his alcoholism.

He allegedly wrote, "I'm gonna properly stop the booze thing, darling...Drank all night before I picked Amber up to fly to LA, this past Sunday...Ugly, mate...I am admittedly too f**ked in the head to spray my rage at the one I love."

Depp and Heard, who got married in 2015 and divorced two years later, have often levelled allegations of abuse and violence against each other.

Heard once alleged that Depp had abused her on a flight in May 2014.

She said, "Johnny kicked me in the back...Johnny threw his boot at me while I was on the ground. Johnny continued to scream obscenities."

However, in a series of audio recordings in 2015, Heard allegedly admitted to "hitting" Depp.

In the audio, the actor is heard as saying, "I'm sorry that I didn't, uh, uh, hit you across the face in a proper slap, but I was hitting you, it was not punching you. Babe, you're not punched...I can't promise you I won't get physical again."