Tommy Robinson Agrees With Me

Perhaps it was just a stopped clock moment, especially given he has now played both sides of the field on the case of Ellie Williams, a young woman from the town of Barrow-in-Furness. But Stephen Yaxley Lennon, who styles himself Tommy Robinson, has now come to the same conclusion as I did earlier this month about one observer of Ms Williams’ case.

As Zelo Street regulars will know, Ms Williams made a number of allegations, mainly that she had been a victim of an Asian grooming gang operating in the town. Lennon went to Cumbria, despite lockdown rules then in place. Another of those grooming gangs? More Scary Muslims™ to demonise? It looked too good to be true. That’s because it was too good to be true.

Lennon got himself nicked, and was subjected to a variety of restrictions, which included, apparently, being excluded from entering the whole of Cumbria. This constrained his activities somewhat. In the meantime, as the BBC has reported, “A woman who falsely claimed she had been raped and trafficked by an Asian grooming gang has been found guilty of perverting the course of justice”. She made it all up. And there was more.

“Eleanor Williams, 22, of Barrow-in-Furness, was found guilty of eight counts at Preston Crown Court. She posted photos on social media in May 2020 of injuries she said were from being beaten but the jury heard she inflicted the wounds on herself”. She had, though, attracted some high profile backers.

Ellie Williams

One of those was Countdown numbers person Rachel Riley, who saw retired GMP detective Maggie Oliver’s involvement in the case and told her followers “This should be front page news today. This poor girl, let down so badly. Thank god ex GMP detective [Maggie Oliver] is fighting for her and however many others like her. Warning: very distressing content. #JusticeForEllie”.

Ms Riley can’t have read the Beeb telling “Williams had falsely claimed business owner Mohammad Ramzan had groomed her since the age of 12 … Williams said Mr Ramzan had made her work in brothels in Amsterdam and sold her at an auction there … However the court heard that at the time, his bank card was being used in a Barrow B&Q” without realising her mistake.

Or “Another, she said, was an Asian drug dealer who had threatened to kill her and dump her in the sea unless she had sex with multiple men … He was actually a young white Tesco worker from Essex who she had been speaking to on a dating site”. Which is why Zelo Street said Ms Riley should say sorry.

Rachel Riley

And I left it at that. Now, Lennon has told his followers “Coming this weekend: [The Phantom Rape Gang] … I have finished my work following up on my investigation into allegations of a grooming gang operating in Barrow. You will be shocked to hear what I found out, BEFORE this issue went to court and BEFORE mainstream media reported it”. Then came Ms Riley.

He wanted her to say sorry (bit late with that one, but whatever): “Hi [Rachel Riley] have you apologised to the men who were falsely accused. You & [Maggie Oliver] gave this story credibility. I’m shocked neither of you have reached out to the men who’s [sic] lives were destroyed”.

It appears Ms Riley saw that one, or that she just coincidentally blocked The Great Man. He wasn’t happy about that. “I know you haven’t apologised. You can’t hide from this Rachel. My doc is out over the weekend”. Yes, he’s done another of his “documentaries”. But if she doesn’t want to engage with him, that’s that.

Where Lennon could end up. Expensively

The problem Lennon has is that that is never that with him, as a series of unwanted doorsteppings, and other forms of harassment, has shown. Well, have I got news for him: Ms Riley will sue the arse off the SOB if he so much as implies anything defamatory about her. And he’s already being pursued for money after declaring himself bankrupt recently.

If he tries one of those late night visits, he’ll find himself all over the papers for all the wrong reasons. Doing it to a few bloggers hasn’t given him too much trouble, but someone who is Actually On Telly? They’ll really throw the book at him for that. So will Stephen Lennon realise that this would be one pursuit too far, and back off? Does he feel … lucky?

Rachel Riley may be about to do the world a favour. Get the popcorn in.

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