2 hours ago A pistillate who claims she was raped by Top Boy histrion Michael Ward has denied suggestions the brushwood was consensual.
Ward is accused of raping the pistillate successful a car aft gathering her astatine a nightclub successful eastbound London successful January 2023.
The 28-year-old denies 2 charges of rape and 3 counts of intersexual battle against the woman, and has said each intersexual enactment betwixt the brace was consensual.
The woman, who cannot beryllium named for ineligible reasons, broke down arsenic she told the assemblage she "did not recognize the situation" she was successful and that she "never would person got successful that car with him" if she had known.
Jurors antecedently were told she knew Ward had been successful films and connected TV and felt flattered erstwhile helium asked for her Snapchat handle.
Sallie Bennett-Jenkins KC, defending for Ward, told the pistillate "what happened successful the backmost of the car was consensual", to which she replied: "No, Michael raped me."
The alleged unfortunate became affectional arsenic she recalled she "did not usage the connection no" and "completely unopen down" during the brushwood connected 2 January 2023.
She said she repeatedly told the Blue Story histrion she needed to permission "on aggregate occasions".
The pistillate looked upset erstwhile she got into a friend's car to spell location aft the alleged assault, the tribunal heard.
The friend, who besides cannot beryllium named for ineligible reasons, told the tribunal the woman's "demeanour was off" and "she kept connected crying" erstwhile asked what had happened.
"Because I knew thing was incorrect with her. I said 'are you OK?'" the person said. "I asked her if helium had raped her. I realised however aggravated that was and asked her, 'has helium assaulted you?'
The alleged unfortunate ordered an STI kit portion returning location and ticked a container asking if she had been sexually assaulted, the tribunal besides heard.
In a prepared connection pursuing his apprehension connected 18 January 2023, Ward told the police: "I contradict the allegation of rape. I privation to enactment connected grounds that we had consensual foreplay and consensual sex."
Ward was awarded the Bafta Rising Star Award successful 2020 and was aboriginal nominated doubly for roles successful the BBC's Small Axe and the 2022 movie Empire of Light.
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