Micheal Ward has been cleared of raping a woman who alleged he had attacked her in the back of a car, per bbc.com.
A jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court acquitted the 28-year-old British actor on Friday of all counts, which included two charges of rape and three of sexual assault.
The charges stemmed from an encounter on January 2, 2023, after Ward met the complainant at an east London nightclub. The woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, alleged during the trial that she “completely shut down” and that the actor had raped her, despite her stating on multiple occasions that she needed to leave.
Ward consistently maintained his innocence, telling the jury that the encounter was entirely consensual and that the woman had actively reciprocated his advances. Following his arrest on January 18, 2023, Ward stated to police that the pair had engaged in consensual foreplay and sex, later telling the court that he believed they were “having a great time”.
Ward is a high-profile figure in British television and cinema, having won the Bafta Rising Star Award in 2020. He is best known for his leading role as Jamie in the Netflix series Top Boy and his performance in the film Blue Story, and has received subsequent Bafta nominations for his work in the BBC’s Small Axe and the 2022 feature Empire of Light.
•Featured image: Micheal Ward/PA MEDIA