Micheal Ward, the Bafta-winning actor known for his role in Top Boy, has appeared in court charged with rape and sexual assault. The 27-year-old appeared at Thames Magistrates' Court on Thursday, wearing dark glasses and a black jacket, where he confirmed his name, address and date of birth.
Ward did not enter a plea during the short hearing. He was granted conditional bail and is due to appear at Snaresbrook Crown Court on 25 September. The charges relate to one woman and are alleged to have taken place in January 2023.
Following the announcement of the charges last month, Ward issued a statement denying the allegations. He said: 'I deny the charges against me entirely. I have cooperated fully with the police throughout their investigation and will continue to cooperate. I recognise that proceedings are now ongoing, and I have full faith that they will lead to my name being cleared. Given those proceedings, I am unable to comment further.'
Ward, from Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, first appeared on screen in the 2016 film Brotherhood but is best known for playing Jamie in Top Boy from 2019 to 2022. He won the EE Rising Star Award at the Baftas in 2020 and has been nominated a further two times, including for best supporting actor for his role in Lovers Rock and best actor in a supporting role for Empire of Light.
