Grooming gang fantasist Eleanor Williams was jailed for falsely accusing innocent Asian men of rape. Now a new investigation reveals evidence - not heard in court - that she WAS attacked and sexually exploited by others prior to her lies

A young woman jailed for lying about being raped by Asian grooming gang members did actually suffer some exploitation and violence as a child by others, a new investigation suggests.Eleanor Williams was sentenced to eight and a half years behind bars after falsely claiming she was trafficked and beaten by an Asian gang in Cumbria. She alleged she was raped and trafficked across the north of England and overseas in a string of Facebook posts in May 2020, shared more than 100,000 times.Her purported ordeal sparked protests and months of unrest in her home town and prompted thousands of people to donate cash.She 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 was later convicted of perverting the course of justice when her accounts were exposed as being fantastical.Now a new investigation says that, while she did inflict injuries upon herself, some could have been caused by other attackers earlier in her life.Sky News and Sandpaper Films are about to broadcast a three-part series about the case - saying that previously unreported elements show Williams had suffered abuse.Eleanor Williams, 22, (left, in a police mugshot and right, with her self-inflicted injuries) was found guilty of perverting the course of justice and has been jailed for eight and a half yearsA trial at Preston Crown Court heard Williams caused the wounds herself using a hammer and she was jailed in March 2023.Three men falsely accused over a three-year period were driven to the brink of suicide after being targeted as a result of her claims.Williams was released from prison in January last year under the Government's early release scheme designed to free up space in prisons.The serial liar was revealed by the Daily Mail to be making a 'new life for herself' outside of Barrow.A source said last July: 'She was a model prisoner and she was no threat to society at all.'She was working during her time in jail as a receptionist for an electrical equipment company and proved to the authorities that she was suitable to be released.'She's currently living outside Barrow and doesn't know whether she'll be able to return.'It's an isolated town where everyone is involved in everyone else's business which would make life impossible for her at the moment.' Eleanor Williams was sentenced after falsely claiming she was trafficked and beaten by an Asian gang in Cumbria - and was released last year after serving half of her jail termFootage has shown how Williams acted as if she had been drugged when police officers visited her at home in July 2019 The fantasist backed up her lies with harrowing photos showing devastating injuries all over her face and body Now a new Sky News series called Groomed has suggested there is evidence indicating not all her injuries were self-inflicted.A psychiatric report by a forensic psychologist, who interacted with Williams when she was in prison on remand, said she was likely the victim of child sexual exploitation'.The report told of her having injuries from abuse in the context of CSE and 'inflicted by other people'.It also quoted a medical professional as saying, following 18 visits she made to A&E in 2019: 'There is obvious bruising all over her body which I feel in my opinion is not self-inflicted.'Williams' family have insisted that while she told 'lies' she was actually groomed.They pointed towards the jailing of three brothers from Barrow for a 14-year campaign of sexual assaults against children between 1996 and 2010.One of the men, Shaha Joman Miah, known as Saj, was referred to in Williams' allegations.He was one of three brothers jailed for 54 years in February last year after running a 14-year campaign of grooming and sexual abuse 'in plain sight'.Shaha Amran Miah, 49, Shaha Alman Miah, 47, and Shaha Joman Miah, 38, were convicted after a trial in October 2024 at Preston Crown Court found they had raped and abused five young girls.The offences against the girls, who ranged in age from six to 15-years-old, occurred between 1996 and 2010 in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, and Leeds.Both Joman and Amran Miah were jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years, for a combined 56 offences - 40 of which were committed by Joman.Meanwhile, Alman Miah was jailed for 10 years with an extended four years on licence after release, for three offences.The Sky News series includes testimony from Ellie Reynolds, a former schoolmate of Williams.She has waived her anonymity and accused 'Sarj' of being one of three men who raped, trafficked and beat her over several years, starting in 2014 when she was 13 - though she was not involved in the case that saw the brothers jailed.Police are said by Sky News to have now reopened enquiries into Ms Reynolds' claims she was a victim of child sexual exploitation after prosecutors previously ruled out further action.Williams had written about 'Sarj' in a diary, according to the new series. The new Sky News series includes testimony from Ellie Reynolds (pictured), a former schoolmate of Williams, who has waived her anonymity as an abuse victim (Pictured, left to right) Shaha Joman Miah, Shaha Amran Miah and Shaha Alman Miah Innocent men in the town of Barrow had their lives torn apart by Williams' allegationsWilliams's lies were undone by more than 50 hours of footage, including street CCTV, tapes of video interviews and police bodycam video.Footage showed how she acted as if drugged when police officers visited her at home in July 2019 after she made the first of her claims.An Asian business owner who was falsely accused by Williams last year spoke about the racial abuse he received - including threats of rape to his wife and children. Faz, a restaurant owner in Barrow, told a Channel 4 documentary how his business was named by Williams in her accusations. He said: 'You had local people walking past spitting at the window and shouting racist abuse.'I started getting calls and answered the phone to "We're going to come get ya". They're like, I know where you live, I know where you are, I know you have two kids and I know who your wife is' 'What they said to me was, "We're going to rape your wife and f*** your kids".'Faz, owner of the Mithali restaurant in Barrow, said his windows were smashed and he began receiving racist messages on social media, including telling him he was a 'f***ing maggot' and that he 'has five years left in this country until you are all burnt alive'. Williams was released from prison in January last year under the Government's early release scheme designed to free up space in prisons Williams claimed she had been 'stuck' in his restaurant in a social media post - but after speaking to staff it turned out her story did not add up and she was there of her own 'free will' to have a cigarette. Faz added: 'I couldn't wrap my head around it. Barrow's a small town, I've lived here all my life. Everyone kind of knows everyone.'I was the only Asian child in the whole school and there was never any talk of culture. My friends never made me feel any different. 'But after Ellie's Facebook post what affected me most was that people who actually knew me were saying stuff like they were kind of believing I might have been involved.'The Channel 4 documentary also heard from business owners, both falsely accused, Mahin and Mohammed Ramzan, known as Mo Rammy, who said the accusations levelled against him were 'life destroying'. Mahin told how the front and back windows of his shop were broken in, saying: 'All our windows are broken. People are ignoring me. I didn’t do anything - why are people blaming me?And Mo Rammy, the owner of an ice cream business, said he was 'knocked for six' after receiving hundreds of angry messages. He said: 'I wasn't scared, I was angry. This is me protecting myself and my honour, my family name and my children. This is life destroying.’ Mohammed Ramzan (second right), who was accused of trafficking by Williams - he is seen speaking outside Preston Crown Court following her sentencingHis son Harry, who was 15 at the time, was told he was a 'paedophile' while serving ice cream at the family business. Mr Ramzan described his horror when he was arrested for human trafficking, modern day slavery and accused of the sexual exploitation of a child. He said: 'This is the worst accusation you can put on any man.'Williams claimed Mr Ramzan had trafficked her since the age of 12 and threatened to kill her - allegations which he always denied.He also denied having any contact with Williams, said he received hundreds of death threats and abuse from people as far away as the US and self-harmed and considered taking his own life. Mr Ramzan said previously: 'It absolutely ruined me to the point where I smashed a bottle on my head. I wanted to kill myself because of the damage it did.'The reputation I'd made was ruined. My neighbours turned on me. People dropped me. I lived in hell.'Cumbria Police told the Daily Mail: 'Every report made by Ellie Williams was robustly investigated, particularly as this was a case in which Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) was being reported.'These investigations focussed on Ellie Williams as the victim with immediate action taken to identify and arrest suspects.'It was the robustness of this investigative response which provided clear evidence that Ellie Williams had fabricated reports to the police.'An independent review of the investigation credited Cumbria Constabulary for sending investigators into other force areas so that the inquiries were not delayed, indicating the effectiveness of the Constabulary’s response to reports of CSE.'After it had been established that there was clear evidence that Ellie Williams had fabricated reports, every subsequent report she made, whether directly to the police or to a third party, continued to be investigated thoroughly with the starting point that Ellie Williams was the victim.'This was under the direction of the Senior Investigating Officer (SIO), who documented this approach in records made at the time.'Each report Ellie Williams made and the subsequent inquiries were explained in the Crown Court case which resulted in Ellie Williams being found guilty of nine counts of perverting the course of justice.'The force said of the allegations against the Miah brothers: 'Ellie Williams did not make any direct reports to the police that she had been subject to sexual crimes by Shah Joman Miah prior to the case being presented to the CPS.'Therefore, it would not have been possible to include the name in the file presented to the CPS.'During the Crown Court trial, the defence team of Ellie Williams sought to introduce the idea that she had been abused by the Miah brothers.This was after there had been widespread publicity in the local media regarding the arrests of the named suspects. This was closely examined by the Judge and not deemed admissible as there was insufficient evidence to support the defence’s assertion.Following a Cumbria Police investigation, the Miah brothers were convicted in 2024 and jailed in 2025 – with two of the three brothers sentenced to life sentences.'The successful conviction against the Miah brothers highlights the Constabulary’s commitment to investigating reports of abuse, identifying and pursuing offenders, and supporting victims of crime. 'This was a complex case involving a number of victims, many witnesses and offending which spread across different regions over a significant period of time.'Anyone who has suffered physical or sexual abuse - whether recent or non-recent - is encouraged to pick up the phone and contact police today.'You will be supported, and your reports will be treated sensitively and investigated thoroughly by trained detectives.'In response to Ms Reynolds's comments, Cumbria Police said it 'conducted an investigation into reports of the abuse suffered'.A spokesperson added: 'The evidence gathered was presented to the CPS which reached a decision which did not result in charges.'Prior to and throughout the investigation, the individual was supported as a victim and was provided appropriate support and safeguarding in partnership with trusted agencies.'However, as of July 2026, the allegations are currently subject to live investigations and, as such, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.' Williams' release from prison involved conditions such as barring her from communicating with journalists. Groomed: The Truth Behind The Lie, produced by Sandpaper Films in co-production with Full Story Films, is scheduled to be shown on Sky Documentaries on August 2 at 9pm as well as being available as a box set on Sky and NOW.