Key facts
- Shabir Ahmed, leader of the Rochdale grooming gang, is set for release this week.
- Ahmed was convicted in 2012 for 30 child rape charges and sentenced to 19 years.
- Despite being stripped of British citizenship, Ahmed cannot be deported to Pakistan due to the Immigration Act 1971.
- Whistleblower Sara Rowbotham fears for the safety of women and girls due to weak probation monitoring.
- Labour MP Andy Burnham is exploring legal avenues to deport Ahmed if his party forms the government.
The impending release of Shabir Ahmed, the leader of the Rochdale grooming gang, has raised significant safety concerns, according to Sara Rowbotham, a former health worker who was instrumental in exposing the ring. Rowbotham described the situation as "really scary" for local women and girls, citing perceived failings in the probation service and Ahmed's alleged lack of remorse.
Ahmed, who was convicted in 2012 for 30 child rape charges involving girls as young as 13 and sentenced to 19 years in prison, is due to be released on licence this week. Victims were initially informed that he would be deported after being stripped of his British citizenship. However, the government has confirmed that due to provisions in the Immigration Act 1971, Ahmed, who arrived in the UK before 1973, cannot be deported to Pakistan, his country of birth.
Rowbotham expressed her "terror" at the prospect of encountering Ahmed, stating her concern for the women he abused. She voiced doubts about the effectiveness of monitoring Ahmed post-release, given what she described as "de-investment in probation services." She questioned who would ensure he and potentially others do not seek revenge.
Labour MP Andy Burnham has indicated that if his party forms the government, they would investigate all possible options to close the legal loophole that prevents Ahmed's deportation. Documents published this week revealed that Ahmed's removal is barred because he lived in the UK for at least five years before his deportation was considered, having arrived before 1973.
Labour minister Jacqui Smith suggested that Pakistan had refused to accept Ahmed, noting that "work that needs to happen" to persuade the country to accept him if deported. She stated that efforts were being made to "get this guy out of the country."
The Home Office has previously described Ahmed's crimes as "appalling" and stated he would be subject to stringent licence conditions, including supervised accommodation and an exclusion zone around Rochdale. However, some victims, witnesses, and local MPs were reportedly unaware of his impending release until it surfaced on social media. Conservative home secretaries, including Priti Patel, had previously assured victims of Ahmed's deportation. Justice Secretary David Lammy has been lobbied by MPs to extend the exclusion zone to include nearby towns.