British actor Micheal Ward, best known for his role in the Netflix series Top Boy, has been found not guilty of rape and sexual assault following a trial in London.
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Ward was accused of raping a woman in the back of a Mercedes after the two met at a New Year’s party in January 2023. The actor denied all allegations and was acquitted on July 10 by a jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court in east London.
According to the BBC, Ward told the court: “Everything we did was wholly consensual.”
Ward was formally charged in July 2025. In the UK, a charge means police have formally accused someone of an offence; it is not a conviction. Following the charge, Ward denied the accusations in a statement, adding that he was fully cooperating with police.
“I recognise that proceedings are now ongoing. I have full faith that they will lead to my name being cleared. Given those proceedings, I am unable to comment further,” the statement read in part. Ward was granted bail in August 2025.
Ward first rose to prominence through his leading role in the Netflix series Top Boy. The now 28-year-old actor played the lead role of Jamie alongside Kano and Ashley Walters.
He has since starred in Steve McQueen’s Small Axe, Blue Story, and the Netflix film The Old Guard. His most recent film credit is Eddington alongside Joaquin Phoenix, which dropped last year.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.