Bieber's depositions vid: 'I was detrimental to my own career'

Thought Justin Bieber's belligerent 'bad boy' persona was all for show? This newly released video of his deposition may make you reconsider.

The clip was taken of the star as he gave an oral, out-of-court witness testimony in the presence of lawyers, which will be reduced to writing and used as evidence in court at a later date.

He made the statement in relation to a law suit filed by photographer Jeffrey Binion on June 5, 2013, in which he accuses Bieber's bodyguard, Hugo Hesny, of grabbing him by the throat and threatening him with a gun, while two other bodyguards confiscated his memory cards.

Since the incident, Binion, who claims he works as a professional photographer and is not a paparazzo, alleges to have suffered physical pain, mental trauma and incurred medical expenses.

The resulting, attitude-packed footage of the star might just end up working in Binion's favour.

Swinging repugnantly in his chair, he fields a variety of questions from Binion's lawyer by answering back with more questions, rolling his eyes and denying people like Usher have been instrumental to his career.

"I was detrimental to my own career," he counters, probably searching for the word 'instrumental' but actually coming out with a far more accurate statement.

At his most contentious, he questions the lawyer's use of the term "film" in reference to CCTV footage of his bodyguard, and boils when quizzed about his relationship with Selena Gomez, shaking his finger and repeatedly warning the lawyer: "Don't ask me that again!"

He also compares the mild interrogation to a 60 Second celebrity interview with Katie Couric.

The entire video tape of his deposition is actually 270 minutes long.

Meanwhile, a Canadian judge has ordered a mid-April preliminary hearing in the case of troubled pop star Justin Bieber, who is accused of assaulting a limousine driver in Toronto.

The April 14 court hearing will deal with mostly administrative matters. A trial date has yet to be set, and could be several months away, Bieber's lawyer said.

The charges are the latest run-in with the law for the teen singer after his arrest in Miami Beach on January 23 for drag racing and impaired driving, and after his Los Angeles mansion was searched because he allegedly hurled eggs at a neighbour's house.

None of his legal troubles, however, have dimmed his popularity with teenage girls who crammed the courtroom in Toronto hoping for a glimpse of the pop star.

They left disappointed as Bieber himself was not present, represented instead by one of Canada's top criminal lawyers, Brian Greenspan.

Toronto police have accused Bieber of hitting a limousine driver "several times" over the back of the head. The car had picked him and five others up from a nightclub in the city in the early hours of December 30.

Evidence cited at the Monday hearing included the complainant's statement to police, and video surveillance.

- Independent, AFP