Bafta-winning actor Michael Ward has been acquitted of all charges of rape and sexual assault after a jury unanimously cleared him at Snaresbrook Crown Court. The 28-year-old Top Boy star faced five charges: two counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration, and one count of sexual assault, stemming from an encounter with a woman after a New Year's party in east London in January 2023.
On Friday, jurors returned unanimous not guilty verdicts on all counts after deliberating for five hours and 25 minutes. Ward stood quietly in the dock, covering his mouth with his hand as each verdict was read, before breaking down in tears. He leaned on his defence barrister as he left the courtroom, while family and friends in the public gallery became emotional.
Prosecution allegations and defence arguments
The prosecution alleged that Ward sexually assaulted the woman in the back of a Mercedes after meeting her outside an "all-white" New Year's party in Gants Hill on January 2, 2023. Ward denied the allegations throughout the trial, maintaining the encounter was consensual. During evidence, he told jurors they had flirted throughout the evening, exchanged Snapchat details, and later met outside the venue. He described kissing, hugging, and engaging in consensual sexual activity, saying they were "having a great time." Ward stated, "I really feel that she wanted to be there. She never mentioned anything about wanting to leave." He also said he believed there was a "mutual attraction" and that the encounter would not have happened had she not wanted it.
The prosecution argued Ward was determined to have sex regardless of the woman's wishes and suggested she had no reason to falsely report rape. Jurors heard from the woman's friends, who described her as distressed after returning to their car following the incident. However, the defence challenged the reliability of the complainant's account. Ward's barrister, Sallie Bennett-Jenkins KC, argued there were significant inconsistencies in her evidence and that she had not been truthful about key aspects of the case.
Evidence and trial details
The court learned that deleted messages between the complainant and Ward only came to light around 18 months after her initial police interview. The defence also challenged other parts of her evidence, including her account of events before and after the encounter. Ward told jurors he was "shocked" when arrested upon returning to the UK from Italy, adding that he knew he "had not done anything wrong." The actor, who grew up in east London after his father died when he was two, rose to prominence through Top Boy before winning the Bafta Rising Star Award in 2020. He has since starred in films such as Empire of Light and Eddington.
Following the verdicts, Ward was acquitted of all charges, bringing the case to a close.
