British actor Micheal Ward, known for his roles in the film Blue Story and the Netflix series Top Boy, has been cleared of all charges following a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court. On Friday, a jury acquitted the 28-year-old actor of two counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
The legal proceedings centered on an encounter that took place after the pair met at an east London nightclub on 2 January 2023. During the trial, Ward maintained his innocence, stating, “Everything we did was wholly consensual.” He told the jury that he felt a mutual connection with the woman, whom he described as “very cute,” and believed they were both enjoying the interaction. According to Ward, the woman reciprocated his advances when they moved to a car, and he testified that she never expressed a desire to leave.
The actor further testified that their interaction remained friendly, noting that they exchanged messages afterward where she told him to enjoy the rest of his night. Upon his arrest on 18 January 2023, Ward provided a prepared statement to the police, explicitly denying the rape allegations and asserting that their sexual encounter was consensual.
The complainant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, provided a different account of the events. Breaking down in court, she denied that the encounter was consensual, stating that she “completely shut down” and did not use the word “no” during the incident. She testified that she would not have entered the car had she known what would follow and claimed she had asked to leave on multiple occasions. Following the encounter, she ordered an STI kit and indicated on the form that she had been sexually assaulted.
Ward, who won the Bafta Rising Star Award in 2020 and has received nominations for his performances in the BBC’s Small Axe and the 2022 film Empire of Light, was cleared of all charges by the jury at the conclusion of the trial.
The court heard the actor – who played gang leader Jamie in Top Boy – thought the woman was "very cute" when he met her and sensed "there was interest there".
