British 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 actor, widely recognised for playing Jamie in the Netflix drama Top Boy, had faced two counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration and one count of sexual assault. After more than five hours of deliberation, the jury unanimously returned not guilty verdicts on all five charges.
Ward became emotional as the verdicts were announced, breaking down in tears while relatives and friends in the courtroom expressed relief. He later left the court with the support of his defence lawyer.
The case centred on allegations linked to an encounter in January 2023. Prosecutors claimed Ward raped a woman in the back of a Mercedes after the two met outside a New Year’s party in east London.
Throughout the trial, Ward insisted the sexual activity was 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.
Speaking after the verdict, Ward’s solicitor, Humzah Ilyas, said the actor appreciated the jury’s careful consideration of the evidence.
“Micheal Ward is enormously grateful to the members of the jury for taking the time to examine the evidence in this case with such care.
“As he maintained throughout this case, this was a consensual sexual encounter. The jury agreed and cleared him of all wrongdoing,” Ilyas said.
The lawyer said the police investigation lasted three and a half years and had taken a significant toll on Ward’s personal life and professional career.
“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.
“Micheal is thankful this process has now reached a conclusion. He looks forward to getting back to the work he loves and focusing on the future.”
Ilyas also noted that Ward wanted to recognise people affected by sexual violence and abuse.
“They deserve to be heard, treated with compassion, and have their allegations taken seriously,” he said.
Following the verdict, it was disclosed that social media influencer Murad Merali had been removed from the courtroom during the trial after posting about the proceedings online. Judge Rosa Dean directed him to delete the posts and leave the court building. No further action is expected from the Attorney General’s Office.
Ward, who was born in Jamaica and grew up in east London, received the BAFTA Rising Star Award in 2020 and has also appeared in films including Blue Story and Empire of Light.
