Pop Culture
‘Top Boy’ Star Micheal Ward Found Not Guilty of Rape and Sexual Assault
The British actor has been cleared of all charges relating to a 2023 incident which he said “was wholly consensual.”
ByWill Lavin
July 10, 2026
Micheal Ward, the British actor best known for his role in hit Netflix series Top Boy, has been found not guilty of rape and sexual assault
The Bafta Award-winning actor was accused of raping a woman in the back of a car after meeting her at a party in January 2023. He denied two charges of rape and three charges of sexual assault
On Friday (July 10), a jury acquitted him on all counts at Snaresbrook Crown Court, East London, as He told the outlet that “everything” he and the accuser did “was wholly consensual.”
Ward, who is also known for his roles in Blue Story and Empire of Light, was arrested on January 18, 2023. He told police in a prepared statement: “I deny the allegation of rape. I want to put on record that we had consensual foreplay and consensual sex.” He was formally charged in July 2025, and was granted bail in August 2025
In court on Friday, the actor, per BBC News, explained that he thought the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was “very cute” when he met her and sensed “there was interest there”
He said he asked her to join him in a car, where they continued to flirt. “She was reciprocating the energy. She was pulling me close. For me, that was an inviting act and we were both enjoying that moment,” Ward told the court, adding that she “never mentioned anything about wanting to leave”
After the encounter, the two exchanged messages. Ward sent a smiling emoji with a heart, and the woman told him to enjoy the rest of his night
The accuser gave a different account in court, stating that she “never would have got in that car with him” if she had known what was going to happen. She claimed the encounter was non-consensual. “Micheal raped me,” she alleged, adding that she “completely shut down” and “did not use the word no” during the alleged attack
On the way home with a friend, the woman said she ordered an STI kit, ticking a box asking if she had been sexually assaulted
Following the accusations, Ward was dropped by UK agency Olipresented by CAA
Related Stories
pop-culture
‘Top Boy’ Star Micheal Ward Granted Bail in Rape and Sexual Assault Case
The British actor was charged with two counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault
tara mahadevan315 days ago
music
Slowthai Found Not Guilty of Three Counts of Rape
British rapper Slowthai has been found not guilty of raping two women in 2021
Joe Price571 days ago
music
Mystikal Sentenced to 20 Years for Rape
The New Orleans rapper pleaded guilty to third degree rape in March
Jaelani Turner-Williams24 days ago
Trending
1StyleKAWS x MLB Collection to Launch This Month: What to Know
2SportsThe 25 Best UFC Fighters of All Time
3BetsThe 10 Best One-Strike Knockouts in UFC History, Ranked
4SneakersHow to Buy the ‘Birds of Paradise’ Air Jordan 4
5MusicFreddie Gibbs Reacts to Being Labeled ‘High Risk’ in Alleged MSG Surveillance Database
6MusicBlueface Runs Into His Dad Delivering Amazon Packages During Livestream: ‘That’s So Random’
Editor’s Pick
MusicThe Best Albums Of 2026 (So Far)
StyleHow to Style Soccer Jerseys
MusicThe 15 Best Rap Verses Of 2026 (So Far)
MusicHip-Hop Media Power Ranking: The 2026 Edition
SneakersEvery Air Jordan Releasing in 2026
