Grooming gang ringleader stripped of British citizenship cannot be deported because of immigration loophole
A Pakistani grooming gang ringleader convicted of 30 child rape offences cannot be deported because of an immigration loophole, despite him being stripped of his British citizenship.
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Shabir Ahmed, 73, a key figure in the Rochdale grooming gang scandal, is due to be released from prison on Thursday but cannot be thrown out of Britain.
This is because he is protected from deportation by a provision in the immigration act that exempts Commonwealth citizens who arrived in the UK before 1973 from removal.
Ahmed has lived in the UK long enough to qualify for the exemption despite being jailed in 2012 for multiple rape and child sex offences in Rochdale.
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He will face curfews and tagging on his release, at a huge cost to the taxpayer.
A Home Office spokesman said: “Our thoughts are first and foremost with the victims of these appalling crimes.
“Ahmed’s horrific crimes were at the heart of the grooming gangs scandal that represents one of the darkest moments in our country’s history. The most vulnerable people were abused and exploited at the hands of evil child rapists and must face the full force of the law.
“On his release he will be on the sex offender’s register for life, ordered to stay away from his victims and banned from contacting any child or young person.
“As well as facing strict curfews and restriction zones, his every movement will be tracked, forced to wear an electronic tag. Should he breach his conditions, he will be immediately locked up.”
Paul Waugh, MP for Rochdale, told the Telegraph: “This depraved paedophile should have been deported to Pakistan years ago.
“The people of Rochdale want him booted out of the country and it’s simply unacceptable that the government of Pakistan are refusing to take him back. If the Citizenship Act needs to be amended to do that, ministers should look at doing just that.”