Actor Micheal Ward broke down in tears after being found not guilty of rape and sexual assault by a jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday.
The 28-year-old, best known for his role as Jamie in the Netflix series Top Boy, had denied two counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration and one count of sexual assault, Sky News reports.
The jury unanimously acquitted him on all five charges after deliberating for five hours and 25 minutes.
Ward became emotional as the verdicts were read out, while family and friends in the public gallery reacted with relief. He was later helped from the courtroom by his defence lawyer.
The charges related to an alleged incident in January 2023, when Ward was accused of raping a woman in the back of a Mercedes after the pair met outside a New Year’s party in east London.
During the two-week trial, Ward maintained that the sexual encounter 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.
Solicitor says case had a “profound impact.”
Speaking outside court, Ward’s solicitor, Humzah Ilyas, said the actor was grateful to the jury for carefully considering 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 in a statement.
Ilyas said the police investigation had lasted three and a half years and had significantly affected Ward’s personal life and acting career.
He said, “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.”
The solicitor added that Ward also wished to acknowledge people who have experienced sexual violence and abuse.
“They deserve to be heard, treated with compassion, and have their allegations taken seriously,” he said.
Courtroom incident revealed
Following the verdict, it emerged that during the trial, social media influencer Murad Merali had been removed from the courtroom after posting about the proceedings online.
Judge Rosa Dean ordered him to delete the posts and leave the building. No further action is believed to be planned by the Attorney General’s Office.
Ward, who was born in Jamaica and raised in east London, won the BAFTA Rising Star Award in 2020 and has appeared in films including Blue Story and Empire of Light