Eleanor Williams: Man 'unwittingly caught up in web of lies', court hears

A man who had an "encounter" with a woman accused of being a serial liar has denied he sold her drugs on behalf of an Asian grooming gang.

Oliver Gardner is one of a number of men accused of rape by Eleanor Williams, 21, from Barrow, Cumbria.

He told Preston Crown Court he was "a bit drunk" when they met and had asked her for a lighter, with the pair later exchanging numbers.

Ms Williams denies seven counts of perverting the course of justice.

The trial heard Mr Gardner met Ms Williams in Preston city centre as he walked home after his grandfather's birthday party on 18 July, 2019.

"I turned round and saw somebody and asked her for a light and then kept chatting," he said.

CCTV footage showed the two meeting just after 21:50 BST, and appeared to show Ms Williams pass Mr Gardner a light for his cigarette.

They were seen walking into a side street together at 22:13, with Ms Williams emerging on her own a minute and 20 seconds later.

Mr Gardner said he went home after the defendant told him she was going to a nightclub where he believed she was working.

He said Ms Williams had seemed "chilled out and relaxed" and he had told her she was "gorgeous".

The trainee electrician said they kissed and had some sexual contact during their brief meeting.

The court heard they exchanged numbers, and phone records showed Mr Gardner tried to call her after they had separated.

"I think I was just calling her to see, because I was happy I met her and I was ringing her to arrange to meet her," he told the jury.

"That's why I called her, because I wanted to see her."

The jury was also shown text messages from Mr Gardner asking Ms Williams to meet him the following day.

Louise Blackwell KC, defending, suggested the witness had met Ms Williams "a few times" before 18 July and sold cannabis to her on behalf of a group of Asian men.

Mr Gardner denied meeting her previously or being involved in selling drugs, and laughed when it was suggested he was working for others.

Ms Blackwell said: "You knew that group of Asian males were also involved with grooming girls or young women?"

Mr Gardner said: "No."

When he was asked if Ms Williams had sent him a message arranging to meet him outside Preston train station, Mr Gardner said: "No, she never."

He said: "I asked her for a lighter, that's the first time I'd seen her, so I asked what's your name."

"It was just more of an encounter, saying hello, where are you from, this and that.

"She told me she was from Wigan, which obviously she's not."

He accepted there was some sexual contact but denied it was "forceful".

At the opening of the case, prosecutor Jonathan Sandiford KC said Mr Gardner had "unwittingly found himself caught up in this defendant's web of lies".

He described Ms Williams as a "serial liar" who made allegations, including that she was trafficked by a grooming gang, on a number of occasions between October 2017 and May 2020.

Ms Williams denies seven counts of doing acts intended to pervert the course of justice.

The trial continues.

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