In January, Eleanor Williams, a 22-year-old from Barrow-in-Furness, was found guilty of nine counts of perverting the course of justice. She had falsely claimed to have been raped and trafficked by an Asian grooming gang and made similar false rape allegations against several other men.
On Tuesday (14), she was sentenced to eight and a half years in jail by Justice Altham at Preston Crown Court. The judge described her allegations as “complete fiction” and criticised her for failing to show significant remorse.
During the lockdown in May 2020, Williams posted photographs on Facebook showing her covered in bruises, with a black eye and a partially severed finger.
She claimed that she had been forced to attend “sex parties” by “clever” Asian men, mostly Pakistani business owners. Her allegations quickly spread beyond Cumbria, sparking a global campaign called Justice for Ellie, which had more than 100,000 Facebook members and even its own line of merchandise featuring a purple elephant.
The claims led to rallies across the UK, with allegations of a police cover-up.
In 2020, Cumbria police documented 151 crimes connected to the case, which included offenses such as malicious communications, harassment, criminal damage, and public order violations. The number of hate crimes in Barrow tripled during that summer.
On Tuesday, Williams wrote a letter to the judge, maintaining her innocence but expressing remorse and devastation over the impact her Facebook post had on Barrow.
“I understand that it’s your job to believe the jury’s verdict and that’s OK. I know I have made some mistakes, I’m sorry. I know it’s no excuse but I was young and confused,” she wrote.
“I’m not saying I’m guilty but I know I have done wrong on some of this and I’m sorry. I’m devastated at the trouble that has been caused in Barrow. If I knew what consequences would have come from that status, I never would have posted it.”
The judge acknowledged that Williams had limited responsibility for the community tensions that arose from her Facebook post.
However, he also stated that the consequences of her lies for the criminal justice system were far-reaching, and there was a risk that genuine victims would be hesitant to come forward as a result.
At the time of her Facebook post, Williams had already been charged with multiple counts of perverting the course of justice, which included making false rape claims against three young white men.
One of the men, Oliver Gardner, had simply asked her for a light in the street. Another man, Jordan Trengove, spent 73 days in prison on remand after being falsely accused of raping and drugging Williams at knifepoint.
However, Williams reserved her most severe allegations for Barrow businessman Mohammed Ramzan. Ramzan, now 43, stated that he had only met Williams briefly at a family party.
Nonetheless, Williams accused him of being the head of an international grooming gang who had first had sex with her at the age of 12 or 13 and then trafficked her and numerous other girls around northwest England and abroad.
Trengove, Gardner, and Ramzan all reported attempting to take their own lives as a result of being falsely accused.
The owners of Indian restaurants in Burrow faced a series of window-smashing incidents, which were allegedly instigated by a circulating Snapchat list that purported to identify the businesses involved in Williams' abuse.
A Muslim restaurant owner, who requested anonymity, reported losing at least £80,000 in business after being named on the list. His orders plummeted from 70-80 per night to two or three, and he was pursued down the street by individuals on skateboards who hurled racial slurs and sprayed beer in his face.
During Williams' sentencing hearing at Preston Crown Court, Judge Altham inquired if the prosecution was requesting him to sentence based on the premise that the offences were motivated by racial hatred.
Jonathan Sandiford KC responded negatively, stating that the jury had heard evidence of Williams' "affectionate and emotional" relationship with at least one Asian man.
The court learned that Williams maintained her innocence and that two psychiatrists were unable to diagnose her with any disorder.
However, one of them, Dr Lucy Bacon, reported that Williams had experienced complex post-traumatic stress disorder due to childhood trauma.
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)