A serial female fantasist who was jailed for lying about being raped by an Asian grooming gang has been released early from prison.
Eleanor Williams made up increasingly serious accusations of rape and sex trafficking to police over a three-year period and went viral after posting photographs of her bruised face.
Her actions sparked civil unrest in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, and nearly drove innocent men to suicide after she shared gruesome photos of injuries on Facebook which she claimed were the result of abuse.
The 24-year-old posted the images in 2020 and accused a number of men of rape, going back to 2017.
She then went further, telling police she was groomed and trafficked by an Asian gang.
A ‘Justice for Ellie’ campaign was even created and garnered over 100,00 Facebook members – with protestors taking to the streets under the belief that the police weren’t properly handling the case.
However the allegations had been false and her injuries were self-inflicted.
Following the web of lies she created, Williams was found guilty on eight counts of perverting the course of justice and jailed for eight and half years in 2023.
Eleanor Williams (pictured) made up increasingly serious accusations of rape and sex trafficking to police over a three-year period and went viral after posting photographs of her bruised face
Williams with injuries to her face which she claimed was done by an Asian grooming gang but were in fact self-inflicted
Today it emerged Williams has been unexpectedly released ahead of the half way point in her sentence, prompting condemnation from some Barrow residents
Preston Crown Court previously heard that three men had tried to take their own lives after being falsely accused of raping her and one spent 73 days in jail.
Today it emerged Williams has been unexpectedly released ahead of the half way point in her sentence, prompting condemnation from some Barrow residents.
One, posting on a local newspaper website, condemned her early release.
They said: ‘This is absolutely disgusting! She’s barely served any of her eight year sentence! How is this justice for what she did to those poor men.’
Sentenced in early 2023, Preston Crown Court heard Williams was originally scheduled to be released from custody in February at the halfway point of her sentence.
It came after she served an extensive period of time on remand having been charged with eight counts of perverting the course of justice.
She pleaded guilty to a ninth count prior to her ten-week trial, admitting that she fabricated evidence while at Styal prison in Cheshire.
Williams was found guilty of perverting the course of justice over multiple false claims of rape and grooming – where prosecutors laid out what they described as her extensive ‘web of lies’.
Williams at a Tesco in Barrow buying a hammer that she later used to beat her own face
Footage shows how Williams acted as if she had been drugged when police officers visited her at home in July 2019
The Ministry of Justice confirmed that Williams, who previously lived at Teasdale Road on Walney, had been released.
A HM Prison and Probation Service spokesperson said: ‘Any individuals released on licence are subject to probation supervision, strict licence conditions and face a return to prison if they break them.’
Offenders released on licence are subject to strict conditions including restrictions on their movements and contact with others.
Licence conditions can include restrictions on where offenders can travel, who they can contact, wearing a tag, to abide by a curfew, restrictions on phone and internet use, and living at a particular address.
She can also be recalled for exhibiting behaviour suggesting she poses an increased risk to the public.
At her sentencing hearing the court made her the subject of a five-year serious crime prevention order ‘to protect the public’, which was due to take effect from February 17.
Williams’s lies were undone by more than 50 hours of footage, including street CCTV, tapes of video interviews and police bodycams.
Footage shows how Williams acted as if she had been drugged when police officers visited her at home in July 2019.
Williams was spotted on CCTV in Preston, seemingly well, just hours before her display of intoxication. Her lies were undone by more than 50 hours of footage, including street CCTV, tapes of video interviews and police bodycams
Seemingly unable to stand upright and making jerky movements with her head and arms, Williams was seen lounging on a chair and unable to respond to officers while covered in injuries including bruises and a cut to her lip which was dripping blood.
She was taken to hospital where she continued to act intoxicated, before telling police she had been drugged and raped by a man in Preston before he forced her to have sex with two Asian men.
She also alleged that after returning to her hometown she was picked up by two other Asian men who also attacked her.
But these allegations were the latest in a series of claims which began in 2017 when she was just 16.
In a police interview in 2017 Williams accused her first victim of rape. But after he denied all knowledge of the alleged incident, she withdrew her involvement from the police investigation.
More than a year later, she again went to police and claimed to have been raped by a man, with images showing her with bruising to her cheek that she claims was caused by the attack.
Aged 18 at the time, she told police: ‘He had a knife and was waving it around… [He] pulled me into the bathroom by my hair, stripped me naked and was hitting me with the shower head.’
The man she had accused spent ten weeks in prison before finally being released.
But just weeks later, she contacted police again and claimed she was a victim of an Asian grooming gang that was trafficking her across the northwest of England for sex.
Williams was seen travelling back to her hometown with no signs of intoxication or injuries – but later claimed she had been violently attacked by multiple men
On another occasion, Williams was seen on CCTV footage walking back to her hometown with no signs of intoxication or injuries despite having claimed she was violently attacked by multiple men.
Footage from inside a Tesco in Barrow showed Williams buying a hammer which would later be used to self-inflict injuries to her face and body.
Williams’ actions also had a profound impact on the British Asian community living in the Cumbrian town with many residents reporting threats and their local businesses were damaged.
If you are affected by the issues in this article, call the Samaritans for free, confidential support on 116 123 from a UK phone.
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