A jury has found Micheal Ward not guilty on all charges after he was accused of rape and sexual assault.
The 28-year-old actor is best known for his roles in the British series Top Boy and the movie Blue Story, which led to him earning the BAFTA Award for Rising Star. He most recently appeared in the star-studded film Eddington.
Micheal was accused of raping a woman in a car in January 2023 after meeting outside a party on New Year’s Eve in London. He was charged with “two counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration and one count of sexual assault,” per Variety. He denied all of the charges and the jury agreed, finding him not guilty.
During the trial, Micheal said the encounter was “wholly consensual.” He added, “We engaged in consensual sex, had a great time and she was actively participating in what we were doing all the time.”
Micheal‘s lawyer Humzah Ilyas spoke out after the ruling.
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
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. This has, inevitably, had a profound impact on him and those closest to him. Micheal is thankful this process has now reached a conclusion. He looks forward to getting back to the doing work he loves and focusing on the future.
As he starts to rebuild his life, Micheal would like to acknowledge those who have experienced sexual violence and abuse. They deserve to be heard, treated with compassion, and have their allegations taken seriously.
–Micheal‘s lawyer Humzah Ilyas
Posted To:Micheal Ward
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