Top Boy actor Micheal Ward has been cleared of raping and sexually assaulting a woman who alleged he attacked her in the back of a car. Ward, 28, was acquitted of two counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration and one count of sexual assault following a 10-day trial at Snaresbrook crown court.
Details of the allegations
The charges stemmed from an encounter with a woman Ward met at a New Year's Day party in Ilford, east London, in 2023. The pair travelled separately to an after-party in Stratford. Prosecutors alleged Ward sexually assaulted and raped the woman in the back of a Mercedes after inviting her into the vehicle. The complainant, who cannot be named, told the court she repeatedly indicated she wanted to leave and felt intimidated by Ward's fame, delaying her report to police because she initially blamed herself.
Giving evidence, the woman said she had been left in pain after the alleged assault and believed there was blood on her clothing. However, forensic examinations of her clothing found no blood, undermining her account.
Ward's defence
Ward denied all allegations throughout the trial, telling jurors the pair had been “friendly and flirty” during the evening and insisting she was “a willing participant in everything that was going on”. “It was what we wanted,” he said. “There was mutual interest.” His defence argued the prosecution's case was undermined by the lack of forensic evidence.
Ward was arrested later that month and, in a prepared statement to police, denied rape, stating the sexual activity was consensual.
Testimony from co-star
The court heard evidence from Jasmine Jobson, Ward's Top Boy co-star, who described him as “my brother” and said she was “in total shock” when she learned of the allegations. Jobson told jurors she had always known Ward to be “a beautiful soul” and “a kind-hearted man”, adding she never felt uncomfortable around him. She said the charges had halted his acting career for over three years while the case was pending.
Ward cried as the jury returned unanimous not guilty verdicts on all five charges after a day of deliberations.
Trial disruption
The trial was briefly interrupted after a social media influencer with over half a million followers was removed from court for posting videos commenting on evidence while proceedings were ongoing. Murad Merali, a YouTuber known for celebrity commentary, had published videos discussing the complainant's cross-examination and expressing views about her credibility. He also filmed within the court grounds and approached Ward's family outside the building. Judge Dean ordered Merali to take down the videos and leave the courthouse, stating she was “absolutely determined to make sure that nothing disrupts this trial”. The attorney general was alerted to consider whether the posts amounted to contempt of court. The judge also cleared the public gallery for parts of the trial to ensure jurors had not seen the online material.
Background
Ward rose to prominence in the 2019 film Blue Story before winning the Bafta rising star award in 2020. He has also appeared in Empire of Light.
