The UK government is examining legal options to deport Shabir Ahmed, a 73-year-old convicted grooming gang offender of Pakistani origin, following his release from prison. The case has reignited political debate over immigration and deportation laws, with ministers facing growing pressure to remove serious foreign-born offenders from the country where legally possible.
Ahmed, who was known to some of his victims as “Daddy,” was released from prison on Thursday after serving 14 years of a 19-year sentence. In 2012, Liverpool Crown Court convicted him alongside eight other men for the sexual exploitation and abuse of five girls in the high-profile Rochdale grooming gang case. His release has drawn widespread criticism from politicians and the public.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has instructed the Home Secretary to review Ahmed’s case and determine whether any legal pathway exists to deport him. Downing Street described the offences as extremely serious and said the government remains committed to removing foreign offenders whenever the law allows. Officials are now assessing whether existing legislation provides any route for his removal.
Ahmed moved to the United Kingdom from Gujrat, Pakistan, during the late 1970s as a teenager. He later renounced his Pakistani nationality after obtaining British citizenship. British authorities have since stripped him of that citizenship, leaving him without recognized nationality. According to Pakistani officials, he is not considered a Pakistani citizen and is effectively stateless.
Despite losing his British citizenship, Ahmed cannot currently be deported because of legal protections under a 1971 law covering a limited group of Commonwealth citizens who arrived in Britain more than five decades ago. His legal status has become a central issue in the debate, with critics arguing that current legislation prevents the removal of individuals convicted of serious crimes.
Following his release, Ahmed has been placed under strict licence conditions. Reports indicate that he is living in a bail hostel, wearing a GPS monitoring tag, and is prohibited from entering parts of Rochdale or returning to his former address in Oldham. Politicians from across the political spectrum, including Rochdale Labour MP Paul Waugh and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, have called for every possible legal avenue to be explored and, if necessary, for changes to the law to prevent similar cases in the future.
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