Michael Ward’s trial has begun with the Top Boy star facing rape and sexual assault charges which he vehemently denies in a London court.
Michael Ward walked into Snaresbrook Crown Court this week facing two rape charges and three sexual assault charges, all of which he denies.
The 28-year-old British actor, who built his career on Netflix’s “Top Boy” and the film “Blue Story,” insists everything between him and his alleged victim was consensual.
The opening day of the trial focused on what the woman told police after the alleged incident in 2023.
Jurors heard a tape of her interview in which she described feeling “numb” and “scared” and said she wanted “it to be over.”
She also claimed that when she tried to exit the vehicle involved in the accident, she was told to close the door.
Prosecutors said the pair met at an event in London that night and continued their interaction at another location later that night, BBC News reported.
The woman’s account paints a picture of escalating stress.
She said she initially agreed to kissing and intimacy, but prosecutors said it became non-consensual. Ward’s defense team insists the sex was consensual from start to finish.
The woman told police she felt “stressed” by part of the encounter and ordered an STI kit afterwards, checking a box indicating she believed she had been sexually assaulted.
Ward, who was born in Jamaica and grew up in London, rose to fame playing Jamie in Top Boy before branching out into film roles.
He won the BAFTA Rising Star Award in 2020 and was nominated for his work in Small Ax and Empire of Light.
His career has been met with critical acclaim and industry recognition, making this trial an important moment in his career.
The trial continues, with more evidence and witness testimony expected.
After his arrest in January 2023, Ward told police in a statement: “I deny the rape allegation. I want to go on record saying that we had consensual foreplay and consensual sex.” The outcome of the case will determine whether one of Britain’s most famous young actors returns to his career or faces a criminal conviction that could permanently change the future of his career.
