Johnny Depp 'could face up to ten years in prison' after illegally bringing dogs into Australia

Joyce gave Depp and his wife Amber Heard 50 hours to send the dogs home to California or risk seeing them "euthanised".

Pistol and Boo left the country unharmed, but now it seems Depp could be facing a rather serious sentence himself.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, government officials at a hearing of the Senate committee in the Australian capital of Canberra confirmed that Depp could be looking at up to ten years in prison, or a maximum fine equaling around £172,000, for illegally bringing the Yorkshire terriers into the country when he arrived to film the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

The newspaper also said that Depp's pilot could face up to two years in jail for the undeclared importing of the two dogs.

Pistol and Boo were not spotted when Depp's plane arrived in Sydney and their presence in Australia was only discovered when a photograph of them was shared on social media after they had visited a local grooming parlour.

The committee was also told another dog had illegally entered the country six months ago. Its entry into Australia had been authorised, but its method of transport – inside a woman's handbag – had not and the animal was forced to spend time in quarantine before being released.