Top Boy actor Micheal Ward, who is on trial for charges including rape and assault by penetration, told Snaresbrook Crown Court that the woman involved was a "willing participant in everything that went on." The 28-year-old Bafta-winning actor is accused of repeatedly assaulting the woman in a Mercedes-Benz on New Year's Day 2023, following a party.
Ward, of Silvertown, London, denies two counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration, and one count of sexual assault. He stated that everything that occurred was consensual and described the woman as an "active participant."
During cross-examination, prosecutor Tracy Ayling KC suggested Ward was "bent that night on having sex come what may with her." Ward responded, "No, it was what we wanted. She was a willing participant in everything that was going on," stressing the word "we."
When asked if the woman had told him her name, Ward laughed, prompting Ms. Ayling to state, "This isn't funny Mr Ward."
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Ward claimed he did not accompany the woman to her friend's car. Ms. Ayling suggested it would be polite to do so if he wanted to see her again. Ward agreed it wasn't polite but also not impolite, adding that he asked her to message him upon her safe arrival home. He later sent her a smiling emoji with a heart, and she told him to enjoy the rest of his night.
Ms. Ayling suggested he was only trying to ensure she would not report the incident, which Ward denied. "I have no interest in being with someone who does not want to be with me," he told the court.
Previously, in a police interview shown to jurors, the alleged victim described being given specific instructions to walk behind Ward and not to talk to anyone en route to the car. She characterized Ward as "overpowering" and stated she tried to leave the vehicle, but he told her to close the door. The jurors heard that Ward then made attempts to engage her in a sex act, which the woman said lasted no more than three minutes on the first occasion.
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She told police on January 13, 2023, "I didn't touch him at all. I didn't engage with what was going on." The woman recounted feeling "numb" and "scared," and wanting the situation to be over. Ward, however, previously told the jury that "everything we did was wholly consensual and we were having a great time."
He described their interaction as a "quite flirty" conversation and "passionate" kisses that became a "developing situation." When Ms. Ayling suggested "the only person who has a great time was you," Ward replied, "She was consenting by the way she was moving with me and she was an active participant in everything we did."
He reiterated that all acts were consensual, stating, "it was something she wanted to do and (it was) not that I forced her." Ward added that the woman "stayed which allowed us to grow our sexual contact."
The court heard the woman had stated she "did not use the word no" during the encounter and "completely shut down." Ward asserted he did not force her, and they kissed, hugged, and conversed before she left.
Ward hosted a New Year's party in Gants Hill, east London, which his mother also attended. He described the party as an event "to enjoy the new year with friends and family." He stated that after a conversation with the complainant, there was "a good vibe" and he "thought there was mutual interest there." He added, "It was friendly and flirty. There was an attraction there between us."
The woman, who knew Ward was an actor, described him as giving off "normal boy vibes." Ward reportedly told the court that he thought the woman was "very cute" upon first seeing her outside the venue.
According to the complainant, Ward allegedly threatened her, stating, "If I tell you to do it, you do it." She said, "When he told me to do it again I didn't really feel I had a choice," adding, "He said, 'if you are quick you can go'. I didn't want to do it." She described feeling scared and ready to leave, believing Ward had "got what he wanted."
The woman stated that Ward should have known she had not consented, citing her body language and lack of participation. She also described suffering injuries, including swelling and a "burning sensation," that lasted for a couple of days.
She did not report the crime at the time, explaining she "didn't really understand what had happened" and felt she "couldn't say anything," partly blaming herself and feeling "a bit stupid."
In a July 2024 video interview, the woman said that during the assault, she "knew" she was there but "felt not really there," feeling she had "no control of my body or my movements." She described the atmosphere shifting rapidly as Ward "immediately took control," stating, "He wasn't the same person I knew at the start of the party." She added, "He didn't respect what I was saying. All he cared about was what he wanted."
Ward was arrested on January 18, 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." He was charged on July 25, 2025.
The trial continues at Snaresbrook Crown Court.