Top Boy actor rape trial: Woman breaks down as she denies consensual encounter

A woman who claims she was raped in a car by Top Boy actor Micheal Ward broke down in court as she denied a suggestion their encounter was consensual.

The Bafta-winning actor is on trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court, accused of raping the woman after meeting her at a nightclub in east London.

The 28-year-old, who starred in Blue Story, denies two counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration, and one count of sexual assault against the woman on January 2nd 2023.

At an afterparty in Stratford, east London, Ward asked the woman to go to a car to talk, the court heard.

Under cross-examination Sallie Bennett-Jenkins KC, defending for Ward, told the woman who cannot be named for legal reasons: “What happened in the back seat of the car was consensual.”

The woman replied: “No, Micheal raped me.”

She claimed Ward “forced me to do it”.

The woman became emotional as she recalled she “did not use the word no” and “completely shut down” when this happened.

She did not know what say to her friends and felt embarrassed.

Earlier, she said: “I have never denied kissing Micheal. I am just saying that I felt pressured.”

The woman said she felt that if she did what he wanted she would be allowed to leave, and told the court: “I did not feel I had a choice.”

The jury heard there was a point where they were kissing and she squeezed through the gap between the seats to join him in the back.

During her evidence, the woman said she “did not understand the situation” she was in and if she had known she “never would have got in that car with him”.

She also said she told Ward she needed to leave “on multiple occasions”.

Later, Bennett-Jenkins told the woman: “The reality is that this was a completely consensual event with somebody you found attractive, charming and was relatively famous.”

The woman replied: “No, it had never been consensual”.

She was upset when she got into her friend’s car after the alleged assault to go home, the court heard.

The friend, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court: “Her demeanour was off. She was shaking and I could see that she wasn’t herself.”

Despite repeatedly asking what had happened, all the alleged victim would say is “can we just go home”.

The friend added: “Because I knew something was wrong with her. I said ‘are you OK?’

“I asked her if he had raped her. I realised how intense that was and asked her, ‘has he assaulted you?’

“She kept on crying.”

She ordered an STI kit while driving back and ticked a box asking if she had been sexually assaulted, the court has heard.

Ward, of Royal Crest Avenue, Silvertown, London, was awarded the Bafta rising star honour in 2020 and was nominated for the best supporting actor Bafta for his role in BBC’s Small Axe in 2021 and the 2022 film Empire Of Light.

The Jamaican-born actor played in the Soccer Aid match at Stamford Bridge in 2024 and gave a reading at the Christmas Eve carol service hosted by the Princess of Wales in 2023.

He also appeared in the American film Eddington alongside Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal, which was released last August.

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Top Boy actor was ‘overpowering’ as he raped woman in car, court told

Ward was arrested on January 18th 2023, and 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.”

The trial continues.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help. In the case of an emergency, always dial 999/112.