Key facts
- Shabir Ahmed, ringleader of the Rochdale grooming gang, is set for release from prison.
- Ahmed cannot be deported to Pakistan due to provisions in the Immigration Act 1971.
- He arrived in the UK before 1973 and has lived there for over five years.
- Ahmed was convicted in 2012 for multiple rape and sexual offences against girls.
- Victims have expressed fear for their safety.
- Ahmed will face strict licence conditions upon release, including supervised accommodation and an exclusion zone.
Shabir Ahmed, the ringleader of a notorious Rochdale grooming gang, is set to be released from prison this week, and his victims have been informed that he cannot be deported from the UK. Documents reportedly sent by the Probation Service indicate that Ahmed, who arrived in the UK before 1973 and has resided there for over five years, is protected from deportation under the Immigration Act 1971.
Ahmed, known to his victims as "Daddy", was convicted in 2012 of multiple counts of rape and sexual offences against girls as young as 12. He was sentenced to 19 years in prison and later stripped of his British citizenship. Despite this, his removal to Pakistan is barred by the aforementioned act. Upon his release, scheduled for July 2, Ahmed will be subject to stringent licence conditions, including living in 24-hour supervised accommodation and adhering to an exclusion zone centred on Rochdale.
Victims have expressed fear for their safety, with one stating that despite assurances of deportation at the trial, none of the gang members have been removed from the country. Politicians have also voiced strong opinions on the matter. Andy Burnham has stated he will ask the home and foreign secretaries to review all possible options to deport grooming gang members, while Paul Waugh, the MP for Rochdale, has called for the government to amend legislation if necessary to facilitate Ahmed's removal.
A report following the convictions found "serious multiple failures" by police and local authorities in addressing concerns raised about the gang's activities. The Home Office has stated that Ahmed's crimes were "appalling" and that he will be on the sex offender register for life, with his movements tracked and subject to strict curfews and restriction zones.