{"id":7344,"date":"2026-06-30T16:36:57","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T16:36:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/top-boy-actor-was-overpowering-as-he-raped-woman-in-car-court-told\/"},"modified":"2026-06-30T16:36:57","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T16:36:57","slug":"top-boy-actor-was-overpowering-as-he-raped-woman-in-car-court-told","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/top-boy-actor-was-overpowering-as-he-raped-woman-in-car-court-told\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Boy actor was \u2018overpowering\u2019 as he raped woman in car, court told"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_dce647\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">A court has today heard that award-winning actor Micheal Ward allegedly raped and sexually assaulted a woman shortly after meeting her in a bar in London in 2023<\/h2>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37367838\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Micheal Ward \" loading=\"eager\" sizes=\"(max-width: 508px) 508px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37367838.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_Micheal-Ward.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37367838.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s508\/0_Micheal-Ward.jpg 508w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37367838.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615\/0_Micheal-Ward.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37367838.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_Micheal-Ward.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"The 28-year-old actor is accused of carrying out the alleged attack in a car\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">The 28-year-old actor is accused of carrying out the alleged attack in a car<cite aria-label=\"Image: Ian Vogler \/ Daily Mirror\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Ian Vogler \/ Daily Mirror)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">A woman said she \u201cdidn\u2019t really feel like I had a choice\u201d as she was raped in a car by \u201coverpowering\u201d Top Boy actor Micheal Ward, a court was told.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Bafta-winning actor Ward 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 2 2023.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">At an afterparty in Stratford, London, Ward asked the woman to go to a car to talk \u2013 the alleged victim was given specific instructions to walk behind him and not to talk to anyone en route, the court heard.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">In an interview with police on January 13 2023, which was played to jurors, the alleged victim said: \u201cI tried to leave the vehicle and he told me to close the door.\u201d<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37367832\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37367832\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Micheal Ward\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37367832.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Actor-Micheal-Ward-Appears-In-Court-Charged-With-Rape-And-Sexual-Assault.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37367832.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_Actor-Micheal-Ward-Appears-In-Court-Charged-With-Rape-And-Sexual-Assault.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37367832.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_Actor-Micheal-Ward-Appears-In-Court-Charged-With-Rape-And-Sexual-Assault.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37367832.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Actor-Micheal-Ward-Appears-In-Court-Charged-With-Rape-And-Sexual-Assault.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"The star denies the charges and has said all sexual activity between the pair was consensual\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">The star denies the charges and has said all sexual activity between the pair was consensual<cite aria-label=\"Image: Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Describing the alleged assault, the woman told police: \u201cHe said: \u2018If I tell you to do it, you do it.\u2019\u201d Asked how she felt during the alleged assaults, the woman said she felt \u201cnumb\u201d and \u201cscared\u201d, adding she remembered \u201cwanting it all to be over\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The woman added: \u201cI didn\u2019t really feel like I had a choice. I said I didn\u2019t want to do it.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">In a second interview with police on July 29 2024, also played to jurors on Tuesday, the woman said: \u201cHe didn\u2019t respect what I was saying. All he cared about was what he wanted.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The woman said Ward was \u201coverpowering\u201d, adding: \u201cAs soon as he made me get into the back of the car, the atmosphere completely changed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The woman, who cried as she spoke to police, added: \u201cI genuinely believed if I did what he asked I could leave. I just didn\u2019t feel like I had a choice but to be there.\u201d<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37367858\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37367858\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Micheal Ward \" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37367858.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_MR-PORTER-Makes-Its-London-Debut-A-Star-Studded-Steakhouse-Opening-at-22-Park-Lane.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37367858.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_MR-PORTER-Makes-Its-London-Debut-A-Star-Studded-Steakhouse-Opening-at-22-Park-Lane.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37367858.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_MR-PORTER-Makes-Its-London-Debut-A-Star-Studded-Steakhouse-Opening-at-22-Park-Lane.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37367858.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_MR-PORTER-Makes-Its-London-Debut-A-Star-Studded-Steakhouse-Opening-at-22-Park-Lane.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"He known for his starring roles in the film Blue Story and Netflix series Top Boy \" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">He known for his starring roles in the film Blue Story and Netflix series Top Boy <cite aria-label=\"Image: Max Cisotti\/Dave Benett\/Getty Im\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Max Cisotti\/Dave Benett\/Getty Im)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Discussing phone messages she sent to Ward after the alleged assaults that were initially not handed over to police by her, the woman said: \u201cI don\u2019t know why I chose to hide from them that we had a conversation after it happened.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The woman said she was \u201cembarrassed\u201d, adding: \u201cI just didn\u2019t really feel like I had an explanation as to why I replied.\u201d Ward was awarded the Bafta rising star honour in 2020 and was nominated for the best supporting actor Bafta for his role in BBC\u2019s Small Axe in 2021 and the 2022 film Empire Of Light.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He also appeared in the American film Eddington alongside Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal, which was released last August.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Ward was arrested on January 18 2023 and told police in a prepared statement: \u201cI deny the allegation of rape. I want to put on record that we had consensual foreplay and consensual sex.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The trial continues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/3am\/celebrity-news\/top-boy-actor-overpowering-raped-37367806\" target=\"_blank\">Source link<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A court has today heard that award-winning actor Micheal Ward allegedly raped and sexually assaulted<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7345,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crime"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/0_Micheal-Ward.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7344"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7344\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7345"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}