The alleged victim in the case against actor Micheal Ward expressed feelings of fear and numbness during the incidents she described in court. The 28-year-old, recognized for his roles in the Netflix series Top Boy and the film Blue Story, is accused of raping and sexually assaulting a woman shortly after they met at a bar in London in 2023.
The trial commenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court, where the woman recounted her experience during a police interview played for jurors. She stated that she felt „numb“ and „scared“ during the alleged assaults, recalling a desire for the situation to end.
Ward has denied two counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault, asserting that any sexual activity was consensual. The woman testified that she first encountered Ward at a nightclub party in north-east London. She noted that she felt flattered when he requested her Snapchat handle, as she was aware of his fame.
According to the court proceedings, after meeting, Ward invited the woman and her friends to an afterparty. It was in a vehicle near this second location where the alleged rape and sexual assault took place. The woman described an attempt to exit the car, stating, „I tried to leave the vehicle and he told me to close the door.“
Following his arrest, Ward appeared in court wearing a blue shirt and burgundy tie. He provided a statement to the police, declaring, „I deny the allegation of rape. I want to put on record that we had consensual foreplay and consensual sex.“
Ward, who was born in Jamaica and raised in London, gained recognition after winning the Bafta Rising Star Award in 2020 for his portrayal of Jamie, a gang leader in Top Boy, and Marco in Blue Story, which depicts the rivalries in south London.
The trial is ongoing, with further developments expected as the case unfolds.
Quellen: bbc.co.uk
Bildquelle: depositphotos
