Deadline reports that Michael Ward (Oblivion, A Single Man), a British actor known for roles in Top Boy and Small Axe, is set to appear before the judge in Thames Magistrates’ Court on August 28th in London. The charges stem from a woman who has alleged that Ward allegedly raped and sexually assaulted her. Multiple counts of each have been charged against Ward for the alleged incident, which reportedly occurred in January of 2023.
Deadline has quoted Scott Ware, the lead detective on the case, and spoke about the department’s support for the woman who has come forward with the allegations. “Our specialist officers continue to support the woman who has come forward,” Ward states, “we know investigations of this nature can have significant impact on those who make reports.”
Mxdwn previously reported that Top Boy brought home the best drama series at the 2024 BAFTA TV Awards. Ward himself was the talk of the town at the I Talk Telly Awards in 2019 when he secured the Best Newcomer Award. Yet it was Kano Kane Robinson (The Kitchen, Tower Block) who ranked in double categories. He was awarded Best Performance in a TV Show/ Film at the MOBO Awards in 2022, as well as a 2024 award at the RTS Television Awards for Male Lead.
Yet Deadline reports that Ward is no longer represented by his Agency in the U.K., which, when pressed about the performer on Friday, responded, “We no longer represent him.”
Grazia reported that in Top Boy, Ward played opposite Kano in a crime drama that depicts a criminal underworld operating in Hackney, East London. The two have a complicated partnership that revolves around drugs and gangs. They also highlight the struggle of low-income neighborhoods and how violence tends to perpetuate itself from within.
According to Deadline, Ward, who is only 27, is due to appear in court at the end of next month. The alleged victim has not yet been named in the case.