Woman, 22, jailed for eight-and-a-half years for false abuse and grooming gang claims

A 22-year-old woman, whose lies caused a storm of anger and protests after she falsely claimed she was the victim of an Asian grooming gang, was jailed for eight and a half years.

Eleanor Williams fabricated evidence to make it look like she was a victim of multiple men – including using a hammer to inflict injuries on herself.

Three men that Williams had falsely accused of attacking her said they had tried to take their own lives because of her accusations.

She was found guilty of eight counts of perverting the course of justice after a trial at Preston Crown Court, having already admitted a further, ninth count of the same offence.

The Recorder of Preston, Judge Robert Altham, said: “It is troubling to say the least that she shows no significant signs of remorse.”

The judge said there was no explanation for why the defendant made the allegations, which he described as “complete fiction”.

“Unless and until the defendant chooses to say why she has told these lies, we will not know,” he added.

The judge’s sentencing remarks can be read in full at: https://www.judiciary.uk/judgments/r-v-eleanor-williams/

SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel for more videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF3HqeLrCkZgARQfyqj1m-g?view_as=subscriber

Follow Sky News on Twitter: https://twitter.com/skynews and https://twitter.com/skynewsbreak

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skynews

For more content go to http://news.sky.com and download our apps:

Apple https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/sky-news/id316391924?mt=8

Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bskyb.skynews.android&hl=en_GB