Shabana Mahmood will change law to allow deportation of Rochdale grooming gang leader
The Home Secretary is set to change a decades-old law to allow the deportation of the Rochdale grooming gang leader who was released from prison last week.
According to reports, Shabana Mahmood is expected to announce plans on Monday to change the 1971 law that prevented 73-year-old Shabir Ahmed from being removed from the UK.
Ahmed was released on July 2 after serving 14 years of his 19-year sentence. In 2012, he was convicted of rape and sexual offenses against girls, some as young as 12.
The proposed legal changes are first Telegram, This could come as separate fast-track legislation or as an amendment to the Immigration and Asylum Bill, which is scheduled to be debated in the House of Commons on Monday. A Home Affairs Minister stated earlier this week that emergency legislation was being considered.
Alex Norris said “all options are on the table” as the Conservatives urged him to accept a change put forward by the shadow home secretary.
Ahmed is currently exempt from deportation, but Mr Norris said the Government would not abandon efforts to deport Ahmed for his “heinous” crimes.
The government has been exploring ways to deport Ahmed since his release last week. The 1971 law prohibits the deportation of a small group of Commonwealth citizens who arrived in the UK more than 50 years ago.
Reports suggested Pakistan may not accept Ahmed as he had previously renounced his citizenship, but a Number 10 spokesman confirmed he had raised the matter with authorities in Islamabad.
Victims shared their fears about Ahmed’s release. Someone identified only as “Ruby” is backed by the Maggie Oliver Foundation, founded by a former police detective and tipster grooming gangs.
Ruby said: “I fear for my safety and the safety of my children.
“Even if he’s not in that area, he still knows people and has the chance to talk to people in that area, and that makes me insecure.”
In a statement released through the foundation, Ruby said victims of abuse had been given “false promises” and were left “to fend for themselves” due to a lack of support from the authorities, and called for changes to the law to deport grooming gang members.
