Shabir Ahmed, the ringleader of the Rochdale child sex grooming gang, was considered too dangerous for release from prison as recently as 2022, according to newly revealed details. Ahmed, 73, has been freed from jail but cannot be deported to Pakistan, a situation that has sparked widespread political outrage.
The Parole Board's decision in 2022, which denied Ahmed's bid for early release, highlighted concerns about his risk level. At that time, his probation officer advised that releasing him to the community would not be safe as he had not sufficiently reduced his risks. The panel concluded that Ahmed was appropriately detained where his outstanding risks could be managed. The assessment also noted his belief at the time of his offending that sexually abusing underage victims was acceptable.
Ahmed's 2022 parole rejection followed an incident in maximum security Wakefield Prison where he punched another inmate, sending his false teeth flying and stamping on his head. This assault occurred after the fellow prisoner made a comment about terrorists following the Brussels attacks. Ahmed was convicted of causing actual bodily harm for this incident and received an additional 12-month sentence, served concurrently.
While the Parole Board did acknowledge that Ahmed's behavior in prison had improved markedly and his disciplinary record had been free of concern apart from the assault, it was noted that as of 2022, he had not undertaken accredited programs to address his offending behavior. Despite the parole refusal, Ahmed remained eligible for automatic release from his sentence.
Maggie Oliver, a former detective who resigned over the handling of grooming cases in Rochdale, described Ahmed's release as "horrific," given he was deemed too dangerous for release just four years prior. She criticized the system, stating that victims have no voice and that the system is broken.
Further controversy arose in 2022 when it was revealed that Ahmed had been serving as an "equalities representative" within his prison. Nazir Afzal, the chief crown prosecutor involved in bringing the gang to justice, called the appointment "staggering both in its insensitivity and appropriateness." The Prison Service stated at the time that the role did not involve safeguarding responsibilities and was intended to improve prisoner behavior.
Ahmed was part of a nine-member grooming gang convicted in 2012 for targeting 47 girls, some as young as 13, between 2005 and 2008. The victims were drugged, plied with alcohol, and subjected to assault and rape. Ahmed received a 19-year sentence for conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child, two counts of rape, aiding and abetting rape, sexual assault, and sex trafficking. He later received an additional concurrent sentence of 22 years for 30 child rapes.
Ahmed's attempts to challenge his convictions, including claims of bias from an all-white jury and that the case was tailored to fit anti-Muslim prejudice, were rejected by European courts.
In 2022, a separate report revealed that Ahmed, then a Labour Party member, continued to work as a council welfare officer in Oldham despite an allegation of preying on a young girl made in 2005. Greater Manchester Police's decision not to inform his employers at the time may have potentially avoided further abuse, the report suggested.