A woman who falsely claimed she was raped by multiple men and trafficked by an Asian grooming gang has been jailed for eight-and-a-half years. Eleanor Williams, 22, sparked protests in her Cumbrian home town of Barrow after posting photos on social media of injuries she said were from beatings, but Preston Crown Court heard she inflicted the wounds herself using a hammer.
Williams was found guilty of perverting the course of justice. The court heard that three men she falsely accused over a three-year period tried to take their own lives after being targeted and suffering 'hell on earth'. One of them, Jordan Trengove, spent 73 days in prison after being charged as a result of her claims.
Barrow businessman Mohammed Ramzan, who Williams claimed to have worked for, was accused of grooming her from the age of 12 and putting her to work in brothels in Amsterdam. He said he received 'countless death threats' on social media. Another man, Oliver Gardner, said a chance encounter with Williams led to him being sectioned under the Mental Health Act after being accused of rape and trafficking.
Honorary Recorder of Preston Judge Robert Altham said Williams had experienced difficulties since childhood and had a history of self-harm, but her allegations were of the utmost severity and there had been 'no significant sign of remorse'. He described her claims as 'complete fiction' and said she had gone to 'extraordinary lengths' to create false accusations.
The claims created a 'state of heightened tension' in Barrow for about four months, with protests outside the police station and a caravan of demonstrators travelling through the town. Social media threats were made against the local force, and videos of an appearance by English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson were shown in court.
Williams was found guilty in January of eight counts of perverting the course of justice and had earlier pleaded guilty to one further count. She has launched an appeal against her conviction. Supt Matthew Pearman, of Cumbria Police, said the force would review the case to see if any lessons could be learned.
