A clearly emotional Micheal Ward spoke of having compassion for sex abuse victims and his hope to rebuild his life after a jury cleared him of rape. The Bafta-winning Top Boy actor, 28, had been accused of assaulting a woman in the back of a Mercedes in January 2023 but denied the charges, saying the encounter was consensual.
Verdict and Immediate Aftermath
On Friday, a jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court in east London took five hours and 25 minutes to unanimously find Ward not guilty of two counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration, and one count of sexual assault. Ward stood quietly in the dock, holding his hand to his mouth as the foreman announced each not guilty verdict. Supporters in the packed public gallery held back tears, and Ward broke down in tears, leaning heavily on his defence lawyer as she helped him out of the courtroom.
Speaking outside court, Ward's solicitor Humzah Ilyas of Hickman & Rose read a statement on his behalf: 'It has been three and a half years since the police started investigating this matter, during which time Micheal’s life, as well as his successful career, has been put on hold. This has, inevitably, had a profound impact on him and those closest to him. Micheal is thankful this process has now reached a conclusion. He looks forward to getting back to the doing work he loves and focusing on the future.'
Compassion for Victims
The statement continued: 'As he starts to rebuild his life, Micheal would like to acknowledge those who have experienced sexual violence and abuse. They deserve to be heard, treated with compassion, and have their allegations taken seriously. Micheal would like to thank God and his family. He is very appreciative of everyone who stood by him. Their support, prayers and love helped carry him.'
The rape charges had a profound impact on Ward, who has been unable to work since the consensual sexual encounter in 2023. He comes from humble beginnings in east London and was raised in a female-led family after his father died in a car crash when he was two. He found fame with a breakout role in the critically acclaimed Netflix series Top Boy, won the Bafta Rising Star award in 2020, and has appeared in films alongside major stars.
Details of the Encounter
Ward met his accuser outside an 'all-white' party for around 250 people in Gants Hill, east London, on January 2, 2023. He had spent Christmas with his family and was on a break from a busy schedule that included work in Italy and promotion for an upcoming film. Ward told the court they flirted, had foreplay, and enjoyed 'passionate' kisses, and that an intimate act would not have happened if she did not want it. He described her as confident and 'very cute', adding: 'We had a mutual attraction with each other. We engaged in consensual sex, had a great time and she was actively participating in what we were doing all the time.'
The court heard that Ward and the woman had a 'quite flirty' conversation at the party, and she accepted she was flattered when he asked for her Snapchat details. Ward said he got a 'great vibe from her' through 'nice' and 'flirty' chat. As the party ended, she messaged him saying she was waiting by a car. They kissed and hugged in a Mercedes outside the party, then later had an intimate encounter in another Mercedes outside an after-party event. Ward said he asked her to go into the back seat, which she did. The car door was unlocked, and she gave no indication she wanted to leave. 'I really feel that she wanted to be there. She never mentioned anything about wanting to leave,' he said. He recalled she mentioned her friends were waiting, but 'everything was progressing in a natural, hot way and we were just enjoying it.'
Prosecution and Defence Arguments
Prosecutor Tracy Ayling KC noted that the woman admitted she finds Ward 'attractive' and did not deny that what happened in the first car was consensual. However, the prosecution argued that Ward was 'bent that night on having sex with her come what may.' The accuser told the trial she felt 'numb' and 'scared' and that 'I didn’t really feel like I had a choice.'
Defence counsel Sallie Bennett-Jenkins KC told the jury that the woman had 'bluntly not been consistent and has told a series of lies that go to the heart of this matter.' She pointed out that it took 18 months from the woman's original police interview for her to report deleting parts of messages with Ward, which came to light only when investigators asked her friends for screenshots. The woman also claimed she had blood on her clothing, but tests found nothing. Bennett-Jenkins said the woman 'flipped one way and then the other' about whether there had been flirting, and that there were 'three, at the very least, significant areas where the woman can be demonstrated not to have told the truth.'
Character Witnesses
A string of character witnesses described Ward as 'honest and trustworthy.' Actress Jasmine Jobson, 31, who has thought of Ward like a 'brother' since they both appeared in Top Boy, described him as 'lovely, polite and outgoing' and 'intelligent, hardworking and popular.' In a court statement, she said she believes Ward's drive is to create a good life for his six-year-old daughter. She wrote that he has 'put his blood sweat and tears' into his profession, and added: 'The allegations are in stark contrast to the gentle and kind-hearted man I know.' Ward was arrested at the airport upon returning from Italy and said he was 'shocked' because he 'knew that I had not done anything wrong and wanted to get to the bottom of it.'
