A 21 year old woman appears in Preston Crown Court today (10th October, 2022) accused of making false claims of rape, sexual assault and trafficking in text messages and social media posts dating back to October, 2017.
It is the first day of a trial with an estimated time span of 8 to 10 weeks.
Eleanor (Ellie) Williams of Walney, Barrow-in-Furness has previously pleaded not guilty to falsifying evidence and making false allegations and now faces seven charges of doing an act tending and intending to pervert the course of public justice.
The charges relate to five men, including a man from Barrow who was accused of rape and sexual assault on three separate occasions.
Another man was also accused of rape and three men were accused of human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation
She has been held on remand in HMP New Hall, and latterly HMP Styal, since bail was revoked in November, 2021 after magistrates in Barrow found she had breached her bail conditions.
The trial will be heard before His Honour Judge Robert Altham, Honorary Recorder of Preston.
Jonathan Sandiford KC will open the prosecution for the Crown; Louise Blackwell KC has previously represented Miss Williams.
It is expected that much of the first day of proceedings will be taken up by the empanelling of a jury and alternates.
Page last updated Tuesday 11th October, 2022 at 1700hrs
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