Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is set to announce updates to the 1971 Immigration Act to facilitate the deportation of Shabir Ahmed, the primary figure behind a Rochdale grooming network. Ahmed, 73, was sentenced to 22 years in 2012 for multiple sexual offenses, including rape against victims as young as 12, and was recently released on licence.
Although Ahmed held dual British-Pakistani nationality, his British citizenship was revoked following his conviction. Previous attempts to deport him were blocked by provisions in the 1971 act that protect Commonwealth citizens who moved to the UK before 1973 and resided there for five years. The proposed legal amendments aim to remove this barrier.
Currently, Ahmed is residing in managed accommodation with 24-hour supervision and is required to wear a GPS tracking device. While victims have expressed significant fear regarding his release, the government has emphasized that any violation of his strict post-release conditions will result in immediate incarceration.
