Micheal Ward, the British actor known for his roles in the Netflix series Top Boy and Steve McQueen’s Small Axe productions, has been acquitted of sexual assault and rape charges in a London court. Ward was accused of raping a woman in the back seat of a Mercedes after meeting her at a New Year’s party in January 2023.

Ward denied all allegations and was acquitted today by a jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court. According to a report by the BBC, Ward stated in court, "Everything we did was completely consensual." This decision is seen as a significant turning point in Ward’s career.

Ward gained widespread recognition for his role as Jamie in the Netflix series Top Boy. After performing alongside Kano and Ashley Walters, he also appeared in projects such as Blue Story, The Old Guard, and Empire of Light. In 2020, Ward won the BAFTA EE Rising Star Award and most recently starred in Ari Aster’s Eddington, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last year.

Following the allegations made last year, Ward was dropped by the Olivia Bell Management agency in the UK. A representative from the agency who contacted Deadline stated, "We no longer represent him." It remains to be seen how these developments will affect Ward’s career.