The impending release of Rochdale grooming gang leader Shabbir Ahmed, who despite being stripped of British citizenship cannot be deported due to a decades-old legal provision, has sparked a political storm in Britain, with Andy Burnham promising to examine “all possible options” to remove him from the country if he becomes Prime Minister.Ahmed, 73, will be released from prison on Thursday after serving a long sentence for his role in one of Britain’s most notorious child sex abuse cases. The victims were informed this week that they could not be deported to Pakistan due to protections under the Immigration Act 1971.Ahmed was convicted in 2012 of multiple child rape and sexual offenses linked to the Rochdale grooming gang scandal, in which girls as young as 12 were groomed, trafficked and repeatedly abused.Authorities have described the case as one of the darkest episodes in Britain’s criminal justice history.
Burnham promises review deportation law
In her first major intervention before taking office later this month, Burnham said the government would revisit the case and consider every legal avenue available.The Guardian quoted Burnham as saying, “Like everyone else, I want this despicable criminal out of the country. The victims must come first.” He said he would ask the Home and Foreign Secretaries to review the matter and “nothing is up for discussion.”The case has reignited calls for amendments to the law, which prevents the deportation of certain long-term residents who came to Britain before 1973 and had lived in the country for at least five years before deportation proceedings could be initiated.
Legal loophole hinders removal
Ahmed, who was born in Pakistan and later acquired British citizenship, was stripped of his UK nationality after being convicted. However, under the provisions of the Immigration Act 1971, authorities say he cannot be deported from Britain despite not having British citizenship.Instead he will be released on licence, will remain on the sex offenders’ register for life, wear an electronic monitoring tag, and face strict movement restrictions, including a ban on entering Rochdale and contacting victims or children.
The victims have demanded strict action
The decision has angered survivors and their families, who say they were previously led to believe that Ahmed would be deported after completing his sentence.The father of one of Ahmed’s victims urged the incoming government to change the law, saying his daughter lives with the trauma of the abuse and fears facing it again.Victims Commissioner Claire Waxman said the case highlighted a wider problem of victims being given inaccurate or inconsistent information about offenders, causing additional distress and undermining trust in the justice system.
pressure increases on the government
Politicians from all parties have called for legislative changes to close the loopholes. Former victims’ minister Alex Davies-Jones described the situation as “appalling”, while former security minister Jess Phillips said new legal options should be explored in cases involving criminals with links to another country.The Home Office said it was committed to pursuing “all possible options” to deport foreign national offenders wherever legally possible, while acknowledging that deportation also depended on agreements with receiving countries.