Andy Burnham will explore “all possible options”, if he becomes prime minister, to close a legal loophole that prevented the deportation of a “vile” Rochdale grooming gang leader. In his first significant intervention as Labour leader-in-waiting, Burnham said nothing would be “off the table” in the case of Shabir Ahmed, 73, who is expected to be released from prison on 2 July.
Background of the case
Ahmed’s victims were told in 2012 he would be deported after being jailed for 30 child rape charges involving girls as young as 13. However, this week the government admitted that the provisions of the Immigration Act 1971 meant he could not be deported to Pakistan, where he was born, even though he has been stripped of British citizenship. Burnham, who is expected to become prime minister on 20 July, said on Wednesday: “Like everyone, I want this vile criminal out of the country. Victims must come first. I will ask the home and foreign secretaries to review all possible options – and they should consider nothing is off the table.”
Details of the crime and release conditions
Ahmed, who was known as “Daddy”, was sentenced to 22 years in prison after being convicted in 2012 for playing a key role in the Rochdale grooming gang, which was said to have had as many as 50 victims. He is due to be freed from prison on 2 July and will be banned from Rochdale. He will be released on licence, meaning he would be recalled to prison if he breaches restrictions. A letter believed to be from the probation service to victims this week said the government was unable to deport Ahmed under the terms of the Immigration Act 1971. This is because he arrived in the UK before 1973 and had lived in the UK for at least five years before his deportation was considered.
Victim impact and calls for action
The father of a woman who was a main prosecution witness against Ahmed has called on Burnham to lift the “statute of limitations” so he can be removed. “My daughter’s life has been turned upside down, and remains upside down, and the reason is Shabir Ahmed,” he said. “This man is a racist paedophile, a horrible man who showed no remorse. He is a danger to all girls and women, whatever their race. If a person was not born here but commits a serious crime like rape or murder then we should find a way of removing them.” The man, whose eldest daughter was known as Girl A during court proceedings, said if Ahmed was allowed to remain in the UK, there was a possibility he could meet his daughter in the street. He added: “Calling for him to be removed is not a racist position.” Girl A was groomed and abused in Rochdale from the age of 12 by at least 50 men. Her family discovered the abuse after she smashed up a restaurant when she was 14. While being interviewed by police, she told detectives how she and other girls had been plied with drugs and drink and repeatedly raped and trafficked around nearby towns and cities.
Reactions from officials and advocates
Alex Davies-Jones, who resigned as the government’s victims’ minister in May, told the Guardian it was “horrific” that Ahmed would be allowed back into the community. She said: “If we truly are to put victims back at the heart of the criminal justice system then we have got to listen to them and act here.” Claire Waxman, the victims’ commissioner, said: “Victims in this case were told the offender would be deported, and that information was incorrect. It has understandably raised expectations and has now caused further upset and trauma.” She said the case highlighted a much wider problem and that too often victims were given “inconsistent or inaccurate information about offenders”, which undermined confidence in the justice system, created unnecessary distress and could compound victims’ fear and trauma. Jess Phillips, who until her recent resignation was the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, said: “There is no easy solution but it’s right that new legislative options are considered in cases where people have nationality elsewhere.”
Government and local response
A Home Office spokesperson 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 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.” Neil Emmott, the leader of Rochdale council, said he was “very concerned” about how this “deeply troubling” news of Ahmed’s release would affect the survivors still living in the Greater Manchester town. He said: “I hope that the reports that he will not be allowed into our borough are accurate and that we never see him on our streets again. If he is seen in our borough, I will demand that he is sent back to prison immediately. As far as I’m concerned, they should have locked him up and thrown away the key.” A Home Office spokesperson added that the department was “committed to doing everything possible to deport foreign national offenders and are clear they should have no place in this country.” They said: “As previous governments have found, this necessarily involves the agreement of the receiving country, which has not always been possible. But we are currently working with colleagues across government to explore all possible options in this case.”
