British actor Micheal Ward walked free Friday after a London jury found him not guilty on all charges related to allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman inside a Mercedes vehicle in 2023.
The 28-year-old actor, best known for his starring role in the Netflix crime drama “Top Boy,” was cleared of two counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration, and one count of sexual assault following the trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court.
Ward’s acting credits include the films “Blue Story,” “The Book of Clarence,” and the American political satire “Eddington,” which was released last year and featured Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal.
The actor has earned significant recognition in the industry, having taken home the Rising Star award at the British Academy Film Awards — known as the BAFTAs — back in 2020. He also received a BAFTA acting nomination for his work in Sam Mendes’ “Empire of Light” and a BAFTA television nomination for his performance in the Steve McQueen-directed series “Small Axe.”
Throughout the legal proceedings, Ward maintained his innocence, stating he had “full faith” that he would ultimately be cleared of all accusations.
Following the verdict, defense attorney Humzah Ilyas said his client was “looking forward to getting back to doing the work he loves.”
