'Top Boy' star Micheal Ward in UK court on rape charges

Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of rape and sexual assault.

Award-winning British actor Micheal Ward, known for starring in the Netflix series Top Boy, appeared in a London court Thursday to face rape and sexual assault charges.

Ward, 27, who is among the cast of the Hollywood movie Eddington alongside Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal, was charged last month with five counts.

In a statement at the time he denied all the charges, which include two counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration, and one count of sexual assault against one woman in January 2023.

Ward appeared before Thames Magistrates' Court in east London, where he spoke to confirm his name, address and date of birth.

He did not enter a plea and was granted conditional bail to next appear at Snaresbrook Crown Court, also in east London, on Sept. 25.

He is not to contact the alleged victim under the terms of his bail.

In his July statement, Ward said he denies "the charges against me entirely" while noting he had cooperated with police throughout their investigation.

As well as starring in Netflix's revival of Top Boy, which aired between 2019 and 2023, the actor has earned critical acclaim for other performances.

He was awarded the Bafta rising star honor in 2020 and was nominated for the best supporting actor Bafta for his role in the BBC drama series Small Axe in 2021 and the 2022 film Empire of Light.