Ministers are under mounting pressure to find a way to deport a notorious grooming gang ringleader who was released from prison on Thursday. Shabir Ahmed, the leader of a gang that exploited girls as young as 13 in Rochdale, remains in the UK due to a legal loophole.
Despite being stripped of his British citizenship, Ahmed cannot currently be deported because the 1971 Immigration Act protects Commonwealth citizens who arrived in the UK more than 50 years ago. There are concerns that even if the law is changed, Pakistan may refuse to accept him back. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper have been urged to consider restricting visas or cancelling aid payments to Pakistan unless it agrees to the return of Ahmed.
Ahmed was convicted of 30 child rapes and sentenced to 19 years in prison in May 2012, with a concurrent term of 22 years for abusing a girl for over a decade. He also received an additional 12-month sentence for attacking a fellow inmate. He was considered too dangerous for release just four years ago.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp stated it is "shameful" that a perpetrator of child rape and grooming remains in the country after completing his sentence. He has vowed to change the law to ensure foreign-born rapists can be deported, suggesting that countries refusing to take back their nationals should have foreign aid payments suspended and face escalating visa sanctions.
Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer discussed the case with Pakistani officials last month, who indicated it is under the purview of their interior ministry. Rape gang campaigner Maggie Oliver expressed frustration that the legal loophole was known in 2012 when the men were initially being prosecuted.
Ahmed, 73, is currently residing in a bail hostel and must wear a GPS tag. He is restricted from returning to certain areas of Rochdale or his last known address in Oldham. The Prime Minister has asked the Home Secretary to explore options for his removal. Andy Burnham, a potential future Prime Minister, stated that all options should be considered to remove the criminal from the country, emphasizing that victims must come first. Nazir Afzal, a chief crown prosecutor involved in the case, suggested that diplomatic negotiations with the Pakistani government to encourage Ahmed's voluntary departure are the most viable solution.
Local MPs, including Rochdale MP Paul Waugh, are advocating for an expanded exclusion zone around areas Ahmed previously frequented to prevent him from reconnecting with former associates.
