Rochdale grooming gang leader Shabir Ahmed to be released from prison

Shabir Ahmed, the 73-year-old ringleader of the Rochdale grooming gang, is to be released from prison this week. Ahmed, known to his victims as 'Daddy', was convicted in 2012 of multiple counts of rape and sexual assault against girls in Rochdale. He held dual British and Pakistani citizenship but was stripped of his British citizenship 14 years ago. However, he cannot be deported to Pakistan because of provisions in the Immigration Act of 1971. The law prevents deportation of individuals who arrived in Britain before 1973 and had lived here for at least five years before deportation was considered.

Ahmed's release has sparked outrage and fear among his victims. One survivor, identified as Ruby, was abused from the age of 12 and says she was raped over 100 times by the gang. In a statement, she said: 'I am scared for my safety and my children's safety. The main ringleader who is well known in Rochdale, Oldham and Middleton is being released from prison. Even if he is not in those areas, he still knows people and could contact them which makes me feel unsafe.' She also criticised the reliance on a law from 1971, asking: 'Why are we still relying on legislation from over 50 years ago when it's now 2026?'

The Home Office has confirmed that upon release, Ahmed will be placed on the sex offenders register for life. He will be ordered to stay away from his victims, banned from contacting any child or young person, and will face strict curfews and restriction zones. His movements will be tracked via an electronic tag, and any breach of conditions will result in immediate return to prison.

Maggie Oliver, a former Greater Manchester Police detective who blew the whistle on the force's mishandling of the scandal, said victims feel like 'an afterthought'. She noted that another abuser, Adil Khan, who got Ruby pregnant when she was 13, was released on similar conditions but later absconded from the country. 'Ruby knows that her ... rapist ... was also being scrutinised and he managed to escape, disappear. She now is living with the fear that Shabir Ahmed ... might escape from where he is being scrutinised and turn up on her doorstep,' Oliver said.

The MP for Rochdale has called for the Immigration Act to be amended. Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester and a potential future Prime Minister, previously called on the government to use every power available to deport grooming gang members. Many will be watching to see if he extends that commitment to criminals like Ahmed if he enters Number 10.