The long-awaited deportation plan for Shabir Ahmed, the ringleader of a notorious Rochdale grooming gang, is set to be outlined by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood on Monday. The announcement comes amidst widespread public and political outcry following Ahmed's release from prison last month after serving 22 years for multiple child sexual offences, including rape.
Ahmed was one of nine men convicted in 2012 for exploiting underage girls, some as young as 13, in Rochdale and Oldham. Following his conviction, he was stripped of his British citizenship, leaving him with only Pakistani nationality. However, his deportation has been complicated by a 1971 law, the Immigration Act, which currently prohibits the removal of a specific group of Commonwealth citizens who arrived in the UK before 1973 and had resided in the country for at least five years. Ahmed falls under this exemption, despite the revocation of his British citizenship.
The Home Secretary's announcement is highly anticipated, as it remains unclear how the government intends to circumvent or amend this long-standing legislation. Complicating matters further, Pakistan has reportedly indicated no intention of accepting Ahmed, who asserts he has renounced his Pakistani citizenship. Should he remain in the UK, authorities have stated he would be subject to strict licence conditions, including 24-hour staffed accommodation and a GPS electronic tag, with any breach leading to his return to prison.
The issue has garnered cross-party attention, with Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp suggesting that sanctions, such as visa restrictions for Pakistani citizens, could be imposed if Pakistan refuses to cooperate. He argued this approach should apply to any country refusing to repatriate its criminal or illegally residing citizens. The Conservative party is advocating for emergency legislation or an amendment to the existing immigration bill, believing that a direct change to the 1971 Act would be too time-consuming and potentially take up to a year.
Victims of the grooming gang have voiced their profound distress and fear following Ahmed's release, stating they feel "frightened" and "unsafe." This situation comes less than a week after survivors of grooming gangs collectively called for sex offenders to be excluded from early release programmes. The government has confirmed it is exploring all available options, including diplomatic discussions with Pakistani authorities, to address this complex and sensitive case.