Introducing: Unreliable Witness

Introducing: Unreliable Witness

Author: Sky News March 18, 2024 Duration: 4:50
At the height of lockdown, 19-year-old Ellie Williams claims on social media she’s been trafficked by an Asian grooming gang across the North of England. Photos of her horrific injuries add to the outrage and the post goes viral – shared more than 100 thousand times.
Social media rumours lead to attacks on Asian men and businesses in her hometown of Barrow-in-Furness. But when she’s arrested for perverting the course of justice, things really explode and there are protest rallies and claims of a cover-up. At the trial the prosecution claims she’d lied, faked text messages and even caused the catalogue of injuries to herself.  
 
In season 6 of StoryCast, Sky News’ Jason Farrell and Liz Lane, who reported on the case at the time, return to Barrow to investigate what could have led her to make these claims and if, underneath it all, there is some other secret buried amongst the lies.
With access to her family, police investigators and those most impacted by her allegations, we ask: Why did Ellie Williams create such an elaborate lie? And what happened AFTER the trial – once all the media attention died down and other allegations began to emerge? 

From Sky News, Unreliable Witness | Storycast is an investigative series that digs into complex, real-world stories where the truth is often obscured. The current season examines the unsettling case of Ellie Williams, a young woman whose detailed allegations of sexual assault and grooming in her hometown led to a major police investigation and public outrage-before she was ultimately jailed for lying. But this podcast goes beyond the headlines of a false accusation. Reporters Jason Farrell and Liz Lane navigate the difficult terrain of this story, asking what powerful motivations could drive someone to construct such an elaborate fiction, and whether, buried beneath the proven deceit, there might be other, more nuanced realities left unexplored. It’s a careful, thoughtful look at how stories are shaped, believed, and sometimes weaponized, with profound consequences for everyone involved. Recognized with a Gold award for Investigative Journalism at the New York Festivals Radio Awards, this podcast delivers meticulous reporting that challenges easy conclusions, making it a compelling listen for anyone interested in the intersections of society, justice, and human behavior.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 54

Unreliable Witness | Storycast
Podcast Episodes
Introducing... Stuff Matters with Ed Conway [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:15
LEDs were supposed to be one of the great environmental success stories: a revolutionary technology that uses a fraction of the energy of traditional light bulbs. But have they really saved the world?In our new podcast S…
Unreliable Witness 7: The Other Trial [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:22
EPISODE 7: A new court case finally exposes abuse in Barrow. Jason and Liz have known about these allegations for years but they can only reveal the facts now. The case involves three brothers and it's taken their victim…
Unreliable Witness 6: Eleanor Williams – Inside [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:58
Police material is released, taking us to the moments they discover her battered at her flat and the night before her infamous post. They also reveal her reaction when accused of lying. Meanwhile Liz and Jason are given…
Unreliable Witness 5: I’m Coming for You [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:39
It’s revealed Mohammed Ramzan has been facing allegations other than from Ellie Williams. Liz and Jason meet ‘Sarah’ - who says she was groomed as a child in Hull and accuses Mo of being involved in the gang responsible.…
Unreliable Witness 4: The Witness Who Went Home [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:44
Ellie has been sentenced to 8 and a half years in prison but questions have been raised about what evidence was presented and left out in court. One potential witness who wasn’t called on says she could have supported pa…
Unreliable Witness 3: I’m not a Psychopath [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:48
After Covid delays, the trial is finally held and Ellie Williams is in the dock. Liz and Jason were among the reporters at court when the extent of her claims were revealed for the first time, shocking the media and publ…
Unreliable Witness 2: Recipe for a Witch Hunt [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:08
The fuse has been lit...and with limited information from police or in the news, social media speculation starts fingers pointing. Barrow is about to hit boiling point. Asian businesses are attacked. Individuals are targ…
Unreliable Witness 1: Who is Ellie Williams? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:59
Ellie’s family and boss share their worries about her leading up to the infamous Facebook post. Unexplained injuries. Becoming withdrawn. Incessant messages. Harassment on the street. Then she started to go missing regul…
Patient 11: Episode 4 – Breaking free [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:45
A long serving doctor and his partner agree to help Alexis break out of psychiatric care and flee the country, a decision that has the potential to change all their lives. This series discusses rape and sexual assault.Cr…
Patient 11: Episode 3 – Escape Plan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:47
Enduring long periods in solitary and having descended to the darkest reaches of psychiatric care, Alexis plots an escape, one, that if successful, will take her thousands of miles from England. This series discusses rap…