British actor Michael Ward has denied raping a woman after meeting her at a nightclub in east London in January 2023, telling a jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court that their sexual encounter was entirely consensual.
Ward, 28, who is charged with two counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault, pleaded not guilty to all charges. Giving evidence on Monday, the Bafta-winning actor said he believed the pair shared a “mutual attraction” and were “having a great time” throughout the encounter.
Known for his breakout performances in Blue Story and Netflix’s Top Boy, Ward told the court he and the woman had a “quite flirty” conversation before moving to a car, where they kissed and later had sex. He described the interaction as a “developing situation” and said the woman was “an active participant” who never indicated she wanted the encounter to stop. “Everything we did was wholly consensual,” Ward told the jury, adding that if she had shown she did not want to continue, “we would not have done it.”
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The complainant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, previously testified that she “completely shut down” during the encounter and said she repeatedly told Ward she needed to leave. The court also heard evidence from a friend, who said the woman appeared visibly distressed afterward and cried on the journey home. Jurors were told she later ordered an STI testing kit and indicated she believed she had been sexually assaulted.
Ward won the BAFTA Rising Star Award in 2020 and has since earned acclaim for roles in Small Axe and Empire of Light. His trial is continuing at Snaresbrook Crown Court in London.
