Barrow businessman describes the abuse he suffered as result of Eleanor Williams' lies
Video of Mohammed Ramzan with his family giving his reaction outside court
For three years a successful businessman was falsely accused of being the leader of gang of human traffickers who drugged and raped multiple girls, based on the lies of Eleanor Williams.
Mohammed Ramzan from Barrow, who Williams told police had groomed her, said "there were no winners here today" and he fears for the "real victims of sexual abuse and grooming".
Supported by his family he said: "He wasn't sure how his family would recover this, as mud sticks, but as a family they remain strong".
He also added, "Barrow is my home and we won't be moving from Barrow".
Williams falsely claimed Mr Ramzan, 43, had groomed her from the age of 12, put her to work in brothels in Amsterdam, and sold her at an auction there.
But the court heard that, at the time she was in the Netherlands, his bank card was being used at a B&Q in Barrow.
Mr Ramzan said his property had been damaged and his businesses had been "ruined" after he and his family were targeted by abuse "in the most horrendous way".
He said: "I have had countless death threats made over social media from people all over the world because of what they thought I was involved in."
Even now on the day Williams is sentenced, he cannot understand why he was targeted when he had never met her, but knew some of her family well.
The Senior Investigation Officer with Cumbria Police, Doug Marshall said it has been a "very challenging and unique case, and it is very rare in policing to find someone lying to this length."
Eleanor Williams claimed she'd been taken to Blackpool and 'forced to perform at sex parties and sold for money.'
The Senior Investigation Officer with Cumbria Police, Doug Marshal
The police investigation centred on her mobile phone footage and extensive CCTV, which showed she had booked herself into a hotel room in Blackpool, leaving the room to buy sweets and spending her time listening to podcasts.
After the 22-year-old was jailed for eight-and-a-half years, the SIO said: “It is important for people to understand that these were far from victimless crimes.
"Williams named specific individuals as being responsible for trafficking and abusing her – individuals who were found to have committed no such offences.
“In a number of cases, her claims led to innocent men being arrested by officers who, understandably, took such appalling allegations seriously.
“Williams had produced compelling evidence when reporting her abuse. However, as detectives investigated her accounts, they found evidence that Williams had not only lied but had concocted evidence to support her allegations including creating fake Snapchat accounts and inflicting injuries on herself.
“Cases such as this, where someone has invented crimes and concocted evidence, are extremely rare.
“What is, sadly, not rare is physical and sexual abuse against children and young adults. It occurs in Barrow, in Cumbria and across the country.
“I can assure the public that we are committed to doing everything in our power – alongside partner agencies – to stop such abuse before it occurs and bring perpetrators to justice when abuse has taken place.
CCTV footage was shown in court of Eleanor Williams buying a hammer at a self-service check out in Tesco in Barrow.
On 19 May 2020, she was found by officers near her home on Walney Island with extensive injuries to her face, including a bruised and swollen eye.
She had claimed the injuries were inflicted by the gang after she was taken to a house in the town and raped.
The court was told Williams caused the injuries to herself with a hammer, which was found with her blood on close by.
CCTV of Eleanor Williams buying a hammer in Barrow
In January, a jury found Williams guilty of eight counts of doing acts tending and intended to pervert the course of justice.
In a letter to the judge, she said: "I'm not saying I'm guilty but I know I have done wrong on some of this and I'm sorry."