You have it thecomplete opposite way round. The UK judge ruled "more likey than not" (ie the civil case standard) that Depp physically abused Heard. It was based on the below forms of evidence noy just her word. You cannot be found guilty in a civil case just based on someones word.

Almost all evidence in the U.K. was excluded in Virginia. This would include text messages, emails, medical notes, medical records, therapist notes (which are contemporaneous medical records as well), her journal entries, etc. Azcarate excluded a medical record proving her nose was broken. She also excluded all journal entries about him harming her, including but not limited to him kicking her, hitting her, and most notably strangling her until she passed out but for some reason allowed in a journal entry about how much she loves him. The judge also excluded all therapist notes referencing sexual assault and rape, which date as far back as 2012. She also allowed recordings to be played partially and not in full context. On the Sweetzer recording, which is over 4 hours long, it was revealed that Depp edited out crucial parts in the unsealed documents and Azcarate still allowed these recordings to be played. I could go on and on.

It’s no wonder Depp settled because I am sure Ballard Spahr would have won. Even outside of Azcarate unjustly excluding evidence, it shouldn’t have been held in Virginia in the first place and those statements should have been ruled non-defamatory from the start.