British actor Michael Ward, known for series such as “Top Boy” and “Small Axe,” was acquitted Friday of two counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault against a woman, allegedly committed on January 2, 2023.
Ward, 28, burst into tears upon hearing the jury’s verdict in a Snaresbrook courtroom in East London, at the conclusion of a trial that began following his arrest on January 18 of that year.
Speaking outside the courthouse, his attorney, Humzah Ilyas, said the actor is “grateful” for the ruling and explained that over the past three and a half years, “his life, as well as his successful career, have been put on hold,” which had a “profound impact” on him and his loved ones.
Ilyas added that Ward, who has always maintained that the relationship was consensual, now hopes to “return to the work he loves” and focus on the future, while acknowledging that allegations from people who say they have suffered sexual violence must be “taken seriously.”
During the trial, the interpreter explained that the sexual encounters with the woman in the back seats of two different cars during a night out in East London were consensual, and he maintained that she never indicated that she wanted to stop what was happening or get out of the car.
Born in Jamaica and raised in the United Kingdom, Ward won the BAFTA Rising Star Award in 2020 and was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series in 2021 for his role in ‘Small Axe’.
He has also appeared in films such as “Blue Story” and “Empire of Light” in 2022, which earned him another BAFTA nomination, according to Agencia EFE.
