Michael Ward has advised jurors {that a} lady who accuses him of rape was a “prepared participant” of their sexual encounter, a court docket has heard.
The Bafta-winning actor, questioned immediately throughout his trial at Snaresbrook Crown Courtroom in east London, denied he was ‘decided’ to get his manner when he allegedly raped a girl behind a automotive.
Ward, whose breakout function was within the drama collection High Boy, is accused of raping the lady after assembly her in an east London nightclub.
Prosecutor Tracy Ayling KC advised him ‘you have been out to get what you needed’.
Ward responded, “That was completely not the case. I’ve little interest in being with somebody who does not wish to be with me.”
After Ms Ayling once more mentioned he was ‘decided to have intercourse along with her that evening’, Ward mentioned: ‘No ma’am, it was what we needed. She was a prepared participant in all the pieces that occurred.”
The court docket heard they later exchanged messages and Ward despatched her a laughing coronary heart emoji earlier than she advised him to take pleasure in the remainder of his evening.
Ms Ayling added: ‘I might counsel you have been simply making an attempt to make sure she did not inform what occurred that evening.’
Ward responded, “No, I believe that will be mistaken.”
The Jamaican-born former mannequin, 28, acquired the Bafta Rising Star Award in 2020 earlier than being acknowledged with a supporting actor nomination for his function in 2021’s Small Ax and the 2022 movie Empire of Gentle.
He additionally starred in movies corresponding to Blue Story and The Previous Guard, in addition to within the American movie Eddington which was launched in cinemas final yr and starred Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal.
Ward beforehand advised the jury that “all the pieces we did was fully consensual and we had fun.”
He mentioned they shared a “fairly flirty” dialog and “passionate” kisses, which then grew to become a “developmental state of affairs.”
When Mrs. Ayling advised that “you are the one one who had a good time,” Ward mentioned, “She agreed by the way in which she got here with me and she or he took an lively half in all the pieces we did.”
He additionally added that the consensual intimate acts between them was “one thing she needed to do and” [it was] not that I pressured her’.
The court docket heard how Ward had organized a New 12 months’s occasion in Gants Hill, east London, after having fun with Christmas together with his close-knit household.
he mentioned he thought the lady was “actually cute” when he first noticed her outdoors the venue, the place she was with a bunch of pals.
After approaching the group, he mentioned they shared a “fairly flirty” dialog earlier than he requested for her Snapchat particulars.
Jurors heard the pair later kissed and hugged in a Mercedes parked outdoors the occasion, earlier than having one other intimate encounter in one other Mercedes outdoors an after-party.
Ward denied stopping the lady from leaving the unlocked car and rejected her declare that she advised him she needed to go away “a number of occasions.”
Ward advised the court docket on Tuesday: “She stayed, which allowed us to develop our sexual contact.”
The court docket beforehand heard the lady testify that throughout the dialog she ‘didn’t use the phrase no’ and ‘fully reduce herself off’.
Ward claimed he did not drive her and mentioned they kissed, hugged and talked earlier than she left. He added that he needed to see her once more, however this was not potential attributable to his busy work schedule.
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MORE: High Boy actor Michel Ward ‘overpowered’ rape sufferer after she tried to go away automotive
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MORE: High Boy actor Michel Ward ‘raped lady in again of automotive after occasion’
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