Actor Micheal Ward has been cleared of all rape and sexual assault charges after a jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court found him not guilty on Friday.
The 28-year-old Top Boy star faced two counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration and one count of sexual assault. He denied all the allegations and was unanimously acquitted after the jury deliberated for more than five hours.
Ward became emotional as the verdicts were delivered, with family and friends in the courtroom expressing relief. He was later escorted out of court by his defence lawyer.
The charges stemmed from an alleged incident in January 2023, when Ward was accused of raping a woman in the back of a Mercedes after they met outside a New Year’s party in east London.
During the trial, Ward insisted the encounter was entirely consensual.
“Everything we did was wholly consensual. We engaged in consensual sex, had a great time and she was actively participating in what we were doing all the time,” he told the court.
His solicitor, Humzah Ilyas, welcomed the verdict, saying Ward had consistently maintained his innocence and was thankful to the jury for carefully examining the evidence.
Ilyas also said the three-and-a-half-year investigation had placed Ward’s personal life and acting career on hold, adding that the actor is now looking forward to returning to the work he loves.
He further noted that Ward recognises the importance of supporting victims of sexual violence and believes allegations should always be treated with compassion and taken seriously.
