The leader of the infamous Rochdale grooming gang is scheduled for release this week, and his victims have been informed that he cannot be deported. Shabir Ahmed, also known as “Daddy” to his victims, held dual British-Pakistani citizenship but lost his British citizenship after being convicted in 2012 for various sexual offenses, including rape.
According to documents allegedly from the Probation Service sent to one of his victims, Ahmed is set to be released on Thursday. However, due to specific provisions in the Immigration Act 1971, he cannot be sent back to Pakistan. These provisions state that individuals who arrived in the UK before 1973 and have lived in the country for at least five years before deportation consideration are protected from removal.
In 2022, Andy Burnham, a potential successor to Sir Keir Starmer as the next Prime Minister, urged the government to take all necessary actions to deport members of grooming gangs. Ahmed is expected to be released under strict conditions, including residing in a monitored accommodation with a 24-hour staff and being subject to an exclusion zone centered around Rochdale.
Paul Waugh, Member of Parliament for Rochdale, expressed the community’s desire to see Ahmed deported and criticized the Pakistani government for refusing to accept him back. He suggested amending the Citizenship Act if necessary to facilitate Ahmed’s deportation.
During the trial in 2012 at Liverpool Crown Court, Ahmed was sentenced to 19 years in prison along with eight other men involved in the Rochdale grooming gang, who targeted young girls for abuse. The victims, mostly from disadvantaged backgrounds, were exploited and mistreated by the gang.
Despite concerns raised, a subsequent report highlighted significant failures by the police and local authorities in responding to the grooming gang activities. Ahmed’s case mirrors similar legal battles by other gang members who were stripped of their British citizenship after invoking human rights laws to avoid deportation.
Upon release, Ahmed will be closely monitored, registered as a sex offender for life, restricted from contacting victims, and prohibited from interacting with children. His movements will be tracked, and he will be required to wear an electronic tag, with any breach of conditions resulting in immediate incarceration.