When Ellie Williams’ allegations of grooming went viral, they tore Barrow apart. Police quickly denied there was a grooming gang and Ellie was jailed, but did the focus on proving one young woman a liar lead to denial of a wider grooming problem?
We re-examine Ellie Williams’ case, revealing details not heard at trial and uncovering links to other women whose abuse was ignored for years, implicating a group of predominantly Asian men. The series explores how far-right groups have weaponised such cases to push their agenda, while agencies, wary of racism accusations, have often avoided confronting perpetrators’ ethnicity.
Told through survivor testimony and with participation from Ellie Williams’ family, the series places Barrow within a long line of grooming scandals and asks: why can’t Britain confront this problem and who pays the ultimate price?
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Special Programmes
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Topics
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Premiere statusWorld premiere
Film details
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Director(s)Ceri Isfryn , Katie Hindley
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Country(s)United Kingdom
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Year2026
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Duration46 mins
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Executive producer(s)Henry Singer / Sandpaper Films, Catey Sexton, Susannah Price / Sandpaper Films, Siobhan Sinnerton / Full Story Films, Vesna Cudic / Full Story Films
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Producer(s)Farah Qayum, Alexandra McArdle, Liz Lane, Bill Mostyn
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CinematographyPaul O'Callaghan
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EditingPeter Norrey, Emma Lysaght, Jane Hodge, Todd Downing, Rick Aplin, Claire Guillon, Reva Childs
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SoundSteve Hopkins
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Language(s)English
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Sales CompanyLasharna Ross / Sky Studios
