Top Boy actor Micheal Ward cleared of rape and sexual assault charges | London

Top Boy actor Micheal Ward has been cleared of raping and sexually assaulting a woman who claimed he attacked her in the back of a car.

Ward, 28, known for his roles in the crime drama and Steve McQueen’s Small Axe, 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.

The charges related to Ward encountering a woman he met at a New Year’s party in Ilford, east London, in 2023, before the pair traveled 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 had repeatedly stated she wanted to leave and, fearful of Ward’s reputation, delayed reporting to police because she initially blamed herself for what had happened.

The woman testified that she was in pain following the alleged attack and believed there was blood on her clothes.

Ward denied the allegations throughout the trial, telling jurors the pair had been “friendly and flirty” throughout the evening and insisted he was “a willing participant in everything that was going on.”

“That’s what we wanted,” he said. “There was mutual interest”

His defense argued that although the complainant recalled some blood on his tights and underwear, the prosecution’s statement was rebutted by forensic evidence showing that no blood was found on examination of the complainant’s clothes.

Ward was arrested later that month and denied rape in a prepared statement to police, saying the couple had consensual sex.

The court heard evidence from Ward’s Top Boy co-star, actor Jasmine Jobson, who said she described him as “my sister” and was in “complete shock” when she learned of the allegations.

Jobson told jurors she always knew Ward as a “beautiful soul” and “good-hearted man,” adding that she never felt uncomfortable around him. He said the accusations actually stalled his acting career for more than three years while the case was ongoing.

The actor cried after the jury unanimously returned a verdict of not guilty on all five charges after a day of deliberations.

The hearing was briefly interrupted after a social media influencer with more than half a million followers was removed from the court due to videos in which he commented on the evidence while the trial was ongoing.

Murad Merali, a YouTuber known for his celebrity and reality television commentary, had posted videos discussing the cross-examination of the complainant and expressing views on her credibility. He had also filmed on Snaresbrook crown court grounds and approached Ward’s family members outside the building.

After telling Merali that he was “absolutely determined to make sure nothing disrupts this hearing,” Judge Dean ordered Merali to remove the videos and leave the courthouse. The Attorney General was warned to consider whether these posts amounted to contempt of court.

The judge also cleared the public gallery for parts of the trial while investigations were conducted to ensure jurors did not view the online material.

Ward rose to prominence with the 2019 film Blue Story before winning the Bafta rising star award in 2020. He also appeared in Empire of Light.