Micheal Ward, the BAFTA-winning British star of “Top Boy” and “Eddington,” has been found not guilty of rape and sexual assault in a London court.
The 28-year-old was accused of raping a woman in the back of a car after meeting her outside a New Year’s party in London in January 2023.
Ward had denied two counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration and one count of sexual assault. On Friday, the jury unanimously found him not guilty of all charges.
According to Sky News, Ward’s solicitor Humzah Ilyas spoke outside the court and described how the case had had a “profound impact” on the actor.
He said in a statement, he said: “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.”
He added: “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.”
Ward stood next to his solicitor as the statement was read out and appeared deeply emotional.
“As he starts to rebuild his life, Micheal would like to acknowledge those who have experienced sexual violence and abuse,” Ilyas added. “They deserve to be heard, treated with compassion, and have their allegations taken seriously.”